PTSD Therapy

Are you seeking help, therapy or counseling for PTSD? Have you lived through “big T” or “little T” traumas? Maybe you haven’t heard of those terms.

“Big T” trauma refers to events, usually single time events, you may have lived through or witnessed like a serious car accident, a fire, a shooting, sexual assault, physical assault (like being mugged or car jacked) or a medical procedure for example. 

“Little T” trauma refers to “repeatedly exposed to graphic details of traumatic events” – things like witnessing or experiencing domestic violence, childhood sexual abuse, childhood physical abuse, neglect, verbal abuse and more. This type of abuse is generally longer lasting and earlier in life before we develop resiliency and abilities to cope with stressors. 

Whatever type of trauma you have experienced, I have a deep understanding of how to work with and help you heal from it.

Are you having any of the following symptoms (this is from the DSM V:

  • Did you directly experience severe trauma or witness severe trauma?
  • After the trauma, did or do you experience intrusive thoughts or memories of it like dreams or flashbacks?
  • Did or do you avoid situations and / or thoughts / people / activities / places that might recall the incidence(s)?
  • Have you experienced negative thoughts or emotions since the trauma? 
  • Did you are are you experience issues with sleep, hypervigilance, problems with concentration?
  • Have these issues lasted longer than a month?
  • Are they causing you difficulty?

When working with complex trauma sometimes referred to as C-PTSD or developmental trauma, I use it within a three phase approach trauma processing approach. First we work on history gathering and stabilization and resource installation. Secondly we work on trauma processing using EMDR, attachment focused tools and somatic tools. Finally we work on phase three, consolidation, integration and reconnection,

 

These are tools that I am trained in and are shown to be effective in healing from PTSD:

  • Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, EMDR – EMDR uses a combination of dual attention techniques and a gentle exposure to desensitize and reprocess traumatic memories. You can visit EMDRIA’s to read more about the technique. It is evidence based and  effective.
  • Attachment based tools – I work from an attachment informed position – you may have heard of terms like “insecure attachment,” “preoccupied attachment,” “anxious attachment” or “disorganized attachment.” I use these terms to be more effective in working with you and your attachment style. They also help me understand better some current day struggles you might be experiencing.
  • Somatic tools – Trauma frequently plays out and stays in the body until it’s processed. So I use what’s called “bottom up processing” when we need to. 
  • Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: ACT – This is a cognitive behavioral therapy approach I find especially helpful in working with clients. I use this approach because it’s value’s based and goals are based on values, and actions are value-based actions. So whatever stops you from your goal makes sense, we process and find out what’s stopping you from that value-based action.
  • HeartMath – I teach coping skills to nearly all my clients. I find that we all need better ways to handle stressors. What happens in therapy can at times become stressful, so these tools are even more important. HeartMath has given me a way to more effectively teaching “regulation skills” to clients as well as a way to more effectively practice and track those practice sessions between therapy appointments. HeartMath can also be a simple, standalone, short term therapy option for people who want to be able to better handle stressors in their lives.