Counseling for Trauma
Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime and may not even know it because they believe trauma only occurs during experiences such as a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.
Trauma is NOT defined by the event or experience however, it is defined by the effect that experience or event has the person’s nervous system and whether or not the person has the resources to process it correctly. This is the reason an experience may affect people so differently. Example: A car accident, one person may end up being scared to drive and suffer high anxiety or even panic attacks at the thought of driving while another person can continue driving as though nothing ever happened.
While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance, and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
Trauma Symptoms
According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5
Avoidance Symptoms
- Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
- Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Re-experiencing Symptoms
- Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks
Hyperarousal Symptoms
- Anger, irritability, and hypervigilance
- Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
- Sleep disturbances
Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms
- Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
- Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
- Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) are used in treating trauma.
If you or someone you know matches the trauma symptoms listed above or have been diagnosed with Bi-polar, BPD, and/or has an addiction, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today for a free consultation.