What is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) causes disruptions to your life and can result from one traumatic event, sustained emotional abuse or even chronic stress. The human experience of trauma is complex. Physical abuse, sexual assault, serious accidents, and major illnesses are commonly associated with trauma and PTSD. If you have experienced distressing events, you may be struggling with living daily life. PTSD can result in symptoms like intrusive thoughts, nightmares, sleep disruption, and difficulty with close relationships. However, help is available.
PTSD Recovery
I can help you heal from PTSD by working with your nervous system to reprocess traumatic memories, activate the body’s relaxation response, and skills training to empower greater choice when in distress.
Treatment Options for PTSD:
- Family of Origin Work is very important for anxiety & trauma. These issues frequently have roots in dysfunctional family systems, family roles & expectations. Recovery means learning healthier relationship skills and uncovering triggers that may have contributed to the development of anxiety, hypervigilance, and other dysregulated emotional responses.
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is a skills-based therapy that teaches practical exercises to help you with core mindfulness, impulsivity, emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and relationship effectiveness.
- Brainspotting is an integrative body-based psychotherapy approach especially designed to facilitate healing from PTSD, anxiety, and trauma.
- Emotional Freedom Technique (Tapping) is a skills-based intervention to reduce negative feelings, thoughts, and beliefs.
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) & Mindfulness Training helps reduce the impact of anxiety. Mindfulness is an important tool when in treatment for anxiety & mental health concerns. It helps you connect with yourself which strengthens inner awareness, the ability to observe your thoughts & behaviors, and builds resilience.
- Essential wellness activities including regular exercise, a nutrient-dense diet, stress management, mindfulness and/or spiritual practices, journaling, building supportive connections, and play.
Brainspotting is a way of helping your brain reprocess unhelpful beliefs, painful experiences, or traumatic memories using corresponding eye positions with limbic system activation. The result is greater psychological flexibility, resilience, and PTSD symptom reduction. With healing comes empowerment and greater choice over your responses to life experiences.
PTSD Therapist
Finding the right therapist is very important. Be sure to consider training, experience, and whether you feel comfortable & safe with the clinician. Contact me for a free consultation.