PTSD & Trauma Therapy
Have you been trying to manage your feelings and experiences on our own?
Do you feel your life lacks pleasure due to feeling numb? Do you constantly
battle negative thoughts? Disconnecting from your loved ones while experiencing
physical and mental distress that you can’t seem to move forward from? You may
be struggling to recover from Trauma.
Trauma is damage to the mind that occurs as a result of a distressing
event. Trauma is often the result of an overwhelming amount of stress that
exceeds one's ability to cope, or integrate the emotions involved with that
experience. Trauma may result from a single distressing experience or recurring
events of being overwhelmed that can be precipitated in weeks, years, or even
decades as the person struggles to cope with the immediate circumstances,
eventually leading to serious, long-term negative consequences.
What Are Symptoms of Trauma?
Anxiety
Intense Fear
Change in Sleep
Emotional Numbing
Change in Behavior
Change in Appetite
Withdrawing from loved ones
Nightmares
Exhaustion
Traumatic Events
Pandemics such as Covid-19
Illness
Grief, loss of someone or something
Job Loss
Betrayal trauma
Abuse
(sexually, physically, mentally and/or emotionally)
Witnessing an accident
Caregiving
Sexual Assault
Chronic Stress
Addiction
Natural disasters (such as earthquake, flood, tornado)
Man made disasters (such as bombings)
Violent person attacks (such as mugging, kidnap or being held captive)
Shock Trauma
Because trauma differs between individuals, according to their subjective experiences, people will react to similar traumatic events differently. In other words, not all people who experience a potentially traumatic event will actually become psychologically traumatized. However, it is possible for some people to develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after being exposed to
a major traumatic event. This discrepancy in risk rate can be attributed to protective factors some individuals may have that enable them to cope with trauma; they are related to temperamental and environmental factors from among others.
Signs of Emotional Abuse
If you’re wondering whether it’s happening to you, here are some of the
signs:
- Yelling at you
- Name-calling
- Spewing insults or otherwise ridiculing you
- Attempting to make you question your own sanity (gaslighting)
- Invading your privacy
- Punishing you for not going along with what they want
- Trying to control your life
- Isolating you from family and friends
- Making subtle or overt threats
- Expectations of you are never met (unrealistic)
- They create chaos
- Humiliate you in public
- Treats you like a possession or property
Sexual Abuse
One in six women and one in 33 men in the U.S. has been raped or been the victim of attempted rape. After being sexually assaulted, it can be difficult to know where to turn for help. It is just as important to get help for the emotional impact of sexual assault as it is to receive care for physical wounds. Even if they think they are coping well, survivors of sexual assault often experience self-blame, lowered self-esteem, panic attacks, eating disorders, difficulty sleeping and concentrating, and problems with work and
social interactions. The National Women’s Study found that 30% of rape survivors suffer from depression. Rape survivors are also at an increased risk for suicide and drug abuse. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, and fear are common among rape survivors. Interestingly, therapies that were designed to help soldiers with PTSD are now being used to help victims of
sexual assault. Symptoms Include:
- Intrusive re-experiencing (through memories or reminders) of the assault
- Avoidance of trauma-related stimuli or reminders
- Alterations in thoughts and mood (negative thinking and depressed, anxious, or angry mood)
- Increased arousal and reactivity (anxiety, hypervigilance, irritability, easily startle)
You might be in denial at first. It can be shocking to find yourself in such a situation. It’s natural to hope you’re wrong. It is common to feel confused, fearful, hopeless and shame. This emotional toll can also result
in behavioral and physical side effects. You may experience:
- Difficulty concentrating
- Moodiness
- Muscle tension
- Nightmares
- Racing heartbeat
- Various aches and pains
Types of Trauma Disorders such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): A disorder in which
a person has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing a
terrifying event. The condition may last months or years, with triggers that
can bring back memories of the trauma accompanied by intense emotional and
physical reactions. Symptoms may include nightmares or unwanted memories of the
trauma, avoidance of situations that bring back memories of the trauma,
heightened reactions, anxiety, or depressed mood. Treatment includes different
types of trauma-focused psychotherapy as well as medications to manage
symptoms.
Acute stress disorder (ASD): is an intense, unpleasant, and
dysfunctional reaction beginning shortly after an overwhelming traumatic event
and lasting less than a month. If symptoms persist longer than a month, people
are diagnosed as having post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Adjustment disorders: is a group of symptoms, such as
stress, feeling sad or hopeless, and physical symptoms that can occur after you
go through a stressful life event. The symptoms occur because you are having a
hard time coping. Your reaction is stronger than expected for the type of event
that occurred.
Reactive attachment disorder (RAD): is described in
clinical literature as a severe and relatively uncommon disorder that can
affect children. RAD is characterized by markedly disturbed and developmentally
inappropriate ways of relating socially in most contexts.
Specific treatment for PTSD will be
determined by your individual circumstances:
Age
Overall Health
Medical History
Severity of Disease
Tolerance of Medications
Tolerance of Therapies
Your Expectations
Your Preference
Tolerance of Procedures
PTSD TREATMENT OPTIONS FOR YOU
Treatment for trauma includes cognitive-behavioral therapy which helps
process and evaluate thoughts and feelings about a trauma. A number of
psychotherapy approaches have been designed with the treatment of trauma , such
as EMDR therapy, mindfulness techniques, as well as
Cognitive- behavioral Treatment (CPT).
Treatment Benefits:
- Help you calm and soothe yourself
- Increase your awareness of, and access to, inner strengths and outside resources
- Process specific memories, through carefully guided talk and/or writing
- Challenge yourself to reconnect and do non-dangerous things you have been avoiding since the traumatic event(s)
- Challenge trauma-based thinking, so that you can restore a healthy mental framework for living
- Make meaning of what happened and how it has affected your deepest self and your family
- Reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety
- Increase a personal sense of confidence and competence
- Regain your quality of life, including enhanced relationships with others, greater activity level, and more positive and stable mood
- Reduce, if not eliminate, trauma-reaction symptoms/symptoms of PTSD
Begin Trauma and PTSD therapy near
Houston, The Woodlands & League City. As well as Midland & Belleville.
Our compassionate therapists, support and assist
clients to connect with their authentic self and learn to love, not hate,
themselves. Also, behaviors will be evaluated that are not currently working
for them. We utilize multiple therapy modalities based on the client’s
personality and problem. The therapy modalities are all research-based and are
showing success based on the particular problems and the client.
Our greatest desire at Therapy for Families is to help each individual
feel comfortable and hopeful about their therapy process.
Please feel free to contact us with any questions or concerns. We also offer a free
consultation to help assess how therapy can benefit you and help you
to feel peace and happiness again.
Services available online statewide
in Texas, Utah, California, Louisiana and Florida.