Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Is Past Trauma Holding You Back From A Rewarding Life?

Have you been a victim of physical or emotional abuse, assault or neglect? Perhaps someone has directly harmed you, or you have witnessed a violent act or the chaos of a natural disaster. Have you recently experienced a painful loss , such as the death of a loved one, the end of your relationship or a decline in your health? You might avoid certain situations that remind you of the trauma you experienced or bring back feelings of fear, alarm or helplessness. It’s possible that you are experiencing intrusive flashbacks that cause you to relive the pain of the past. Maybe you have noticed some of the physical symptoms of living with trauma, such as irregular sleeping and eating habits, headaches and body aches, rapid heartbeat or lethargy. Do you wish you could move past the trauma you have experienced to live a peaceful and connected life?

Navigating life after trauma can be a confusing, isolating and exhausting experience. Throughout the day, you may be overwhelmed with unwelcome thoughts, such as fantasies about revenge or imaginings about the potential dangers of any given situation. You may feel angry, numb or flooded with a variety of difficult emotions for no apparent reason. At work, you may have trouble concentrating on your daily duties because your mind feels preoccupied or on-edge. Your relationships with your loved ones and friends may be deteriorating as you believe they do not fully understand or care about how you feel. It’s also possible that you have turned to drugs or alcohol to cope with your trauma. At night, it may be difficult for you to fall asleep or stay asleep. You may even suffer from intense nightmares related to your past experiences and wonder if you will ever feel free.

Trauma And PTSD Is More Common Than You May Think

About 70 percent of the population experiences a trauma at least once in their lives. Of these individuals, about 20 percent develop PTSD. Trauma can result from a number of experiences, such as abuse, abandonment, loss, violence or harassment and discrimination based on race, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. Even though the causes of trauma vary, living with trauma often feels like a constant battle of painful, intrusive and unpredictable thoughts, emotions and behaviors. To make matters worse, in our society, people are expected to cope with trauma on their own, grieve very little for losses and put up a strong exterior. The media also contributes to the images of either the stoic hero who is unfazed by trauma or the disheartened individual who is consumed by it. In many cultures, it is also very common for people to feel pressure to keep their problems “within the family.” All of these expectations can end up adding to the pain of the trauma and furthering its debilitating effects.

The good news is that through PTSD treatment with an experienced therapist, you can develop new, effective techniques to balance your thoughts and emotions in order to move forward in life.

PTSD Treatment Can Help You Gain Control Of Your Life

Together, in a safe, trustworthy and compassionate environment, you and I will work on making daily life easier by healing lingering wounds. I use in-depth, innovative psychotherapy approaches so that you do not need to continue to re-experience your painful trauma. To start, I will learn as much as I can about who you are and where you are coming from, so we can build a strong alliance and establish a solid foundation for you to find relief.

Once you and I gain a deeper understanding of your symptoms and thoughts, we will create a tailor-made plan for your personal healing and growth. I will help you assess the triggers and patterns that contribute to your here and now symptoms, such as sad, regretful, worrisome or angry thoughts. During PTSD treatment, I can also help you process your long-ago or buried traumatic experience(s) in order to heal the original wounds so you don’t have to continue to relive the pain of your past.

Together, we will work on developing personalized techniques to help you stop the cycle of negative thoughts and shift your behaviors to be more calm and mindful of the present. If you struggle with an addiction that is linked to your past trauma, it’s likely that relieving the painful emotions stuck in your mind will help you take a huge step forward in combating your compulsive coping strategies.

Depending on your needs, personality, interest and goals, we may also incorporate creative outlets into our PTSD treatment sessions, such as journaling or artwork exercises so you can dig deeper to address and resolve any unwanted feelings that may remain in your mind.

It’s also possible that you may benefit from a prescription treatment plan that will function in tandem with our trauma therapy sessions. If you are interested in seeking medication to relieve your immediate symptoms of anxiety so you may get more out of our sessions together, I can refer you to an experienced doctor who can assess whether or not a prescription will be right for you.

 For decades, I have worked as a leader in the community, teaching and training mental health care providers how to effectively treat trauma. As an expert therapist with 40 years of experience treating individuals who struggle with the after-effects of trauma, I know you may be feeling overwhelmed and hopeless. I also know that, with PTSD treatment, you have hope to recover, strengthen your resilience to painful memories and live a fulfilling life.

If you believe your adolescent is suffering from the effects of trauma, please visit my teen counseling  page for more information.

You may be interested in PTSD treatment, but still have a few questions and concerns…

I don’t want to dig up old baggage or blame my loved ones for my pain.

Throughout your trauma treatment sessions, we will not place blame or point fingers toward certain individuals in your life. Instead, we will merely look at the pain in your history and try to connect the dots to understand why you struggle today. It is important to look at the big picture in order to feel ready to handle your present life and move forward with resilience. For example, if your car isn’t working well, but you keep filling it up with gas to just make it run, it will buck, stop and go, or even burn through the transmission until you figure out what the actual issue is. Only by addressing the core issues can you find effective solutions and relief.

I am worried it will be too painful to think and talk about the trauma I’ve experienced.

Processing the emotions from your past may hurt at times. However, you are probably tired of hurting as much as you already do. By taking the time now to confront your history and learn the tools to feel happier and present in the moment, you will have the chance to find joy and meaning in your life again. In addition, if you have self-medicated your pain with food, substances, sex, gambling, shopping or TV, addressing the root of your negative feelings can help you free yourself from harmful coping strategies and focus on what you truly enjoy.

Why can’t I just take a medication to make these feelings go away?

While medication can be a helpful aide in the therapy process, it will only help you manage some of your immediate symptoms. With the guidance of an expert therapist, you will have the opportunity to fully heal and move on. By taking the time to address your painful experiences, understand why you do what you do, explore new coping skills and resolve original wounds, you can find hope and healing within yourself.

Free Yourself From The Constraints Of Your Past Experiences

If you are ready to thoughtfully work through your traumatic experiences and confidently move forward in a positive and meaningful life, I invite you to contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation to discuss your needs and ask any questions you may have about my practice. To schedule a phone consultation please call me at 510-528-4718.