Trauma
There are times when people have difficulty recovering after certain traumatic or extremely stressful events. Depending on the circumstances, these reactions might develop into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).
Virtually everyone experiences a trauma or significant stressor at some point in their lives, and we are usually able to recover from these experiences naturally over a relatively short period of time. There are times, however, that people have difficulty recovering after certain traumatic or extremely stressful events. In these cases, one might experience a wide range of reactions. Some of the most common ones are: repeated thoughts or memories of the event; dreams or nightmares; intense emotions at thoughts or reminders of what happened; efforts to avoid thinking about it, as well as to avoid people, places, or situations that might be reminders; changes in your sense of who you are, or in how you see the world around you; trouble in relationships; impulsive or self-destructive behavior; and difficulty with different emotions, such as depression, anxiety, anger, shame, and guilt. Depending on the circumstances, these reactions might develop into Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). For more information about therapy for trauma, click here. We offer empirically supported treatments that are effective in addressing these difficulties. These include Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure.
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