PTSD Therapy
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Post traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition characterized by symptoms of intrusive or unwanted thoughts/memories, avoidance behaviors, negative changes in both mood and thinking, as well as hyperarousal (irritability, increased reactivity, hypervigilance, and more). We at Coastwise provide one-on-one therapy for clients with PTSD, focusing on addressing trauma through evidence-based treatment modalities that follow the principles of trauma-informed care.
PTSD affects about 6 percent of people and tends to affect women more often than men. PTSD occurs after a traumatic event, but not all traumatic events result in mental trauma. What determines whether a traumatic event results in PTSD is not completely understood. We do know that there are both genetic and environmental components to a person’s risk of developing PTSD. Chronic stressors as well as acute events can trigger symptoms of PTSD, and the severity of these symptoms can also differ from person to person.
PTSD is a treatable condition, but it can require long-term support in some cases. We at Coastwise ensure that our clients who to reach out to for continued support after treatment, and we put our clients in touch with trusted and accredited counselors and local support groups.
What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post traumatic stress disorder is primarily characterized by the appearance of stress symptoms in the weeks or months following a traumatic event. These symptoms are categorized into distinct types:
- Re-experiencing symptoms
- Avoidance symptoms
- Mood symptoms
- Hyperarousal symptoms
For someone to be diagnosed with PTSD, a doctor must determine that they exhibit one or more of each kind of symptom, along with a few other prerequisites that might rule out other causes.
Traumatic events are stressful. If a person experiences these symptoms for a short time after a traumatic event, they might not need treatment. But if the symptoms last for longer than a month, or if they cause significant impairment or distress, then treatment becomes necessary.
The types of events that can trigger a trauma reaction are somewhat subjective, but they will usually involve some type of violence or near-death experience. Common causes of PTSD include:
- Experiencing or witnessing violence
- Chronic abuse
- Natural disasters
- Large-scale destruction (including war)
- Learning that someone very close to you was exposed to trauma
- Indirect exposure in the line of duty (firefighters, police officers, paramedics)
Overview of PTSD Therapy Options at Coastwise
Treating PTSD can be difficult. In addition to mood symptoms, people with PTSD struggle with hyperreactivity and unwanted, intrusive thoughts and memories.
Therapy often requires delving into those thoughts and memories, which can be unpleasant. That is why trauma-specific talk therapy methods and other forms of trauma treatment focus on ways to reduce the discomfort experienced while discussing trauma.
Over the past few decades, researchers have found ways to help people talk about their trauma without triggering feelings of panic or anger, through the use of various methods, such as eye tracking and slow, step-by-step exposure.
We at Coastwise utilize a number of different treatment modalities to address PTSD within our clients. They include:
Psychotherapy (Talk Therapy)
Talk therapy is the first line treatment for most mental health conditions. While the roots of psychotherapy go back over a hundred years, most modern psychotherapy approaches follow the evidence-based treatment frameworks that were developed in the last century.
The most common form of talk therapy is cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), which couples therapeutic principles of cognitive therapy (working on your thinking patterns) with behavioral therapy (working on how your actions affect your feelings). Many forms of talk therapy today are based on principles of CBT. Here at Coastwise, we treat PTSD with talk therapy methods such as:
Emotional Transformation Therapy (ETT)
This form of talk therapy was developed in the 1990s to decrease emotional distress during a talk therapy session through neural impulses, eye movement, and visual stimulation. A client is stimulated with colors and lights during a therapeutic conversation to help soothe negative emotions while discussing their trauma. This can help resolve traumatic experiences much faster than other forms of talk therapy.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Similar to ETT, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing utilizes visual stimulation through eye movement and physical stimuli (such as light taps) to distract from emotional distress while discussing trauma.
Trauma-Informed Therapy
Trauma-informed therapy combines different modalities to address a client’s needs based on their circumstances or preferences. Trauma-informed therapy has six principles: safety, transparency, peer support, collaboration between therapist and client, empowerment and choice, and cultural sensitivity in therapy.
Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy
PTSD treatment can be medication assisted. Most cases of medication-assisted therapy for PTSD utilize antidepressants to help mediate severe mood symptoms that sometimes accompany PTSD.
But many mental health professionals and researchers have found success in utilizing ketamine during therapy to help treat post-traumatic stress more rapidly than just through therapy. Ketamine has dissociative properties, which can help address trauma through a different perspective.
Get Started with Us at Coastwise
Post traumatic stress disorder is a complex mental health condition characterized by a range of symptoms including intrusive thoughts, avoidance behaviors, mood changes, and hyperarousal.
At Coastwise, we offer comprehensive treatment for clients with PTSD, focusing on evidence-based modalities grounded in trauma-informed care principles. Our goal is to empower individuals on their journey towards recovery from PTSD, promoting resilience, healing, and well-being.
Want to learn more about therapy at Coastwise? Get in touch with us today and begin your healing journey.