What is Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)?

 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) happens after an extremely stressful life event.  These events could include exposure to childhood trauma such as emotional abuse or neglect, spiritual abuse, physical abuse, physical neglect or sexual abuse.  These traumas are usually chronic, meaning they occur over long periods of time.  Traumatic events in adulthood can include sexual assault, a traumatic birth (pregnancy, labor or delivery or miscarriage), domestic violence, emotional abuse, exposure to combat, exposure to war or a natural disaster, or cult involvement.  A person may also experience exposure to trauma in their career.  This includes witnessing the extreme suffering of others through frontline healthcare work or emergency services like employment as a police officer, firefighter, paramedic, therapist, clergy member or other careers where you are a professional caregiver.  These events may be chronic or single event exposures.  Post-traumatic stress disorder happens when someone has difficulty making a full emotional recovery from the events above.

Signs and symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

• Nightmares of the trauma or stressful life events

• Flashbacks to the trauma or stressful life event (you may feel like you are there again)

• Constantly thinking about the trauma or life stressor without the ability to control or stop the thoughts

• When you are reminded of the trauma, also known as experiencing a trauma trigger, you have strong physical or emotional symptoms. This can include extreme fear, anger, or sadness. Physically this looks like racing heart, sweating, shaking, feeling the urge to run away, and muscle tension.

• Trying to avoid all thoughts, feelings or discussion of the trauma and stressful life event. People typically use eating too much or too little, over-working, substance use, isolation, or people pleasing to avoid these discussions.

• Changes in your beliefs about yourself, the world and others. You may notice that the world no longer feels safe, or you have difficulty with trust, self-esteem and intimacy. You may feel a strong desire to regain power and control over your environment. Many trauma survivors feel self-blame, shame and guilt around what happened.

• Hypervigilance: feeling constantly watchful (being overly aware of exits or the intentions of others). Feeling constantly on edge, restless or irritable. Trouble focusing, remembering, and making decisions.

• Difficulty remembering parts of the trauma

Causes of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

 Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs when someone is exposed to an extremely stressful life event once or over a long period of time.  PTSD is solidified when this person’s nervous system stays in fight, flight or freeze after the event. This can be due to genetics and strong attempts to avoid trauma triggers.  It may seem counterintuitive but sometimes avoiding things that you used to do in an effort to reduce triggers actually worsens the trauma response.  Of course, this depends on the individually but typically if you are avoiding things that used to bring you pleasure than this maintains PTSD.

Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Psychotherapy is the best way to treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder without medication.  I use careful assessment and evidence-based therapy skills to create a tailored treatment plan for you.  I use counseling treatments like cognitive processing therapy, prolonged exposure therapy, value labeling and mindfulness skills to bring you relief.  This means that I will help you discuss the events of your past in a safe and non-judgmental environment while also giving you skills to get healthy.  I highly recommend some level of exposure skills for post-traumatic stress disorder – although this can feel scary it is highly effective.  I have been trained in the premier treatment options for PTSD and I am a gifted trauma focused therapist.  I feel extremely confident in my ability to assist you in your healing.  I offer online therapy services to those living in Omaha and the greater Nebraska area.

Typical outcomes of Therapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Therapy is a highly effective treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.  In fact, this is one of my specialties.  We have exceptional scientifically supported counseling services for PTSD.  There is one caution, however. You may feel a bit worse before you feel better.  It is natural that when you begin discussing a trauma that you experience the emotions you avoided for a long time.  Don’t worry, this does get better, but it may take a few weeks.  Like using an antibiotic, you must engage with the full course of therapy to make sure you have symptom relief and that the problem does not return.  You should start feeling some relief within several months if you engage with the coping skills provided in session.

What is Complex Trauma?

Although this is not a formal DSM diagnosis, it is therapeutically very really.  Complex PTSD occurs when someone experience chronic childhood maltreatment.  Because of lessons taught in childhood they are then more likely to experience trauma in adulthood. Once these traumas happen in adulthood then it reinforces the ideas from childhood.  It can be quite difficult to break free of old patterns because you may have never experienced safety, healthy relationships, healthy intimacy, healthy control or power in your life so it is difficulty to envision and pursue these goals.

Is there Therapy Treatment for Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?

The short answer is yes.  This is my absolute specialty. I find that the best therapy for complex trauma is unique to each individual.  Some folks respond quite well to a protocol of 12 sessions of cognitive processing therapy or prolonged exposure therapy.  However, it is more common that therapy clients respond best to a fusion of these techniques, exposure, mindfulness, story-telling, value labeling and other creative exercises.

What are the Health Conditions Associated with Post-Traumatic Stress? Will Therapy Help?

I wish people knew just how many things can be associated with trauma.  For example, chronic pain, temporomandibular joint disorder (jaw clenching and pain), migraines, irritable bowel syndrome, chronic muscle tension, systemic inflammation and worsening of autoimmune conditions are all associated with a history of trauma.  Our bodies really do keep the score.  In short, our bodies stay in a constant state of nervous system activation – fight, flight or freeze and this causes lasting physical difficulties. Therapy for post traumatic stress disorder can be an effective way to lessen the impact of these health conditions without medication.