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Management / Recovery For Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Treatment for Trauma and PTSD

Trauma is any type of severely stressful event that occurs to someone or that is witnessed by someone that impairs their functioning or well-being. It is a life-threatening event or an experience that is harmful to one’s safety or others in the vicinity. A few examples of severe trauma would include (but not limited to): a myriad of war experiences, severe car accidents, natural disasters, rapes and muggings. Child abuse (physical, mental, sexual) or neglect could be classified as trauma.

My treatment for trauma and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) focuses on resolving distress derived from life threatening situations, wounds of morality and situations that resist acceptance.

Trauma treatment is for those who want to find resolution for or management of traumatic events. Some people have traumas that are brief, occurring quickly and then they are over, as in a life-threatening situation. Others may have trauma acquired accumulatively over a prolonged period due to chronic abuse, bullying and/or neglect.

Preparation

  • Establishing trust and rapport in the therapeutic relationship (our sessions must be a safe place to share).
  • Finding and building personal strengths.
  • Building a good support network of caring friends and family.
  • Getting prepared to do the deeper work.

Doing the Deeper Work

Inquire and investigate the event or events.

  • There is an inverse and reciprocal relationship between the level of distress we feel and the level of understanding and acceptance we have.
  • When our level of distress is at its highest, our level of understanding and acceptance is at its lowest.
  • I have seen, repeatedly, that when the level of understanding and acceptance is increased, the level of distress decreases or is eliminated. There are several effective ways to increase awareness, acceptance and promote deeper insight:
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a grade “A” trauma treatment. It is one of the most highly researched and clinically proven treatments for traumatic events. I am a certified EMDR therapist (since 2015) through EMDRIA (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing International Association).

 

  • The work of Byron Katie is a simple yet highly effective method of inquiry that has demonstrated incredible results just by asking 4 simple questions and going through a process called “The Turn Around”. I have been actively involved in using/facilitating “The Work” since 1999.
  • Talk therapy can be a highly effective tool when the client has the agenda and motivation of obtaining deeper understanding, greater awareness and acceptance of reality. Overcoming victim mentality is often the biggest hurdle to clear. The way to do that is with increased understanding, awareness, acceptance and responsibility for your own emotional response.

Integration and Inoculation

  • Learning how to integrate/manage “the new me” is essential to continued success. An excellent resolution focused question to ask yourself is: “Now that I find myself here, how can I best support myself and those that I care about in this situation?” From this positive foundation you are primed to find and practically apply / integrate your new concepts and strategies to deal with new and old challenges.

 

Your 3-Step Success Plan

My therapy is based on helping you transition into who you want to be and how you want to feel through practiced mindfulness and practical psychological processes, concepts and strategies. I am known for helping people get results. This is how it works.

1

Learn

We will discuss your goals and challenges to create clarity in terms of where you are, where you want to be, and how to get there. In this first step you will gain the conceptual and theoretical knowledge of new behaviors, concepts and strategies.

2

Practice

Your participation in homework and assignments will help develop the skills, mindset, and behaviors that will benefit you personally. In this practical application phase, feedback about successes and challenges are pivotal. With consistent and persistent practice you are reinforcing the success that is well within your reach.
3

Achieve

Finally, we will work on integrating these new behaviors, concepts and strategies until you master them and they become part of your identity. When you identify with the new way of being you know you have made changes you can count on.

“Thousand-yard Stare” by SSgt Jamal Sutter. December, 2014. Charcoal and graphite on paper.

The appearance of U. S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.

My goal is to help my clients find success and fulfilment in their lives.
Please call or email if you would like to talk.