The truth?
There’s probably a lot more people suffering from PTSD than we’ll ever know. The effects of trauma exist on a spectrum, and people all have differences when it comes to their threshold for discomfort and the ways they manage.
Some deny their mental anguish and others get completely swallowed by it.
Then you factor in current life circumstances such as stress, worry, and financial woes. All of that combined makes it much harder to process trauma—to separate it from everything else that’s going on.
What is PTSD?
In a nutshell, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) arises after facing an extremely disturbing, scary, or otherwise terrifying situation in which the individual is unable to properly process.
It commonly manifests as flashbacks of the event—nightmares, etc. and people struck by it may staunchly avoid situations that remind them of the incident. It can lead to people shutting down, losing connections with friends and loved ones, and disengaging from life in general.
The good news is the more aware we are of it, the easier it is to recognize and work through.
How is PTSD Treated?
Structured support groups and therapy is a great place to start when treating PTSD. Much of what the treatment entails is working through all aspects of trauma, be it survivors’ guilt, an inability to save someone or properly protect themselves, the horror of losing a loved one to a disease—there are so many situations in which PTSD can occur.
Learning to exercise self-compassion coupled with an awareness that in many cases, it’s not personal. It has nothing to do with them or their overall worthiness as a human being, is all part of healing. But in many cases, properly treating PTSD requires a more robust intervention.
When talk therapy and support groups aren’t enough, there are other proven modalities used to treat PTSD.
A therapist may employ one or both in conjunction with talk therapy, as indicated.
EMDR for Treating PTSD
Eye movement and desensitization reprocessing therapy (EMDR) is frequently used to treat PTSD. The goal is to focus on the memory of the event, and change how it is stored in the brain.
By focusing on the memory and engaging in bilateral eye movements at the same time, the patient is able to process the experience and diffuse some of the power and charge the event has over them and their life.
Brainspotting for Treating PTSD
Brainspotting involves the use of spots in a person’s visual field to help ease the hold of trauma, especially unprocessed trauma stored in the subcortical region of the brain.
The different eye positions are believed to allow access to different “brain spots” that correlate to a challenging incident. This is used in conjunction with mindfulness—being open to thoughts and feelings that arise during the session, and exploring them with the therapist.
Who Benefits from Treatment?
Anyone who has experienced a challenging event that they are struggling to come to terms with benefits.
Most people have different psychological makeup, and seeking treatment for PTSD is an excellent way to not only free yourself from the bonds of the negative experience, but iron out some of the other wrinkles from the past that may be holding you back or otherwise encumbering your current life experience.
If you think you may be suffering from PTSD or have any further questions about treatment, please reach out. Our team of professionals have helped countless people reclaim their lives, and would love to help you, too.
Begin Trauma Therapy in the Sacramento Area or Online:
Are you ready to find peace and healing after trauma? We are here to support you and provide high-quality evidence-based trauma treatment to people in the Sacramento Area and online for people living in the state of California. To begin trauma therapy in Fair Oaks, CA or Roseville, CA, please follow these steps:
- Reach out to our relationship therapy clinic for a free 15-minute phone consultation to learn more about trauma therapy.
- Meet with one of our compassionate trauma therapists.
- Begin trauma treatment and regain control in your life.
Other Services Offered at The Relationship Therapy Center in California:
In addition to trauma therapy, Our Sacramento area counseling clinics located in Roseville and Fair Oaks, CA are pleased to offer a variety of mental health services. Our couples services include: Counseling after infidelity, sex therapy, co-parent counseling, family therapy, divorce counseling, intensive couples retreats, and premarital counseling. Our individual therapy services include, therapy for children, teen therapy, depression treatment, and individual relationship counseling. Our therapists offer online counseling in California to treat a variety of mental health concerns. Please reach out to our Sacramento area therapy office to learn more about the many ways we can help you or your loved ones heal and grow.