Have you experienced a traumatic event? Are you suffering from lingering fear and anxiety? Do you feel like you no longer have any control over how you think, feel, and behave?
Post-traumatic stress disorder—also known as PTSD—is a mental health challenge that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a terrorist act, an act of war, a serious accident, rape, or any other violent personal assault. It is believed that PTSD affects nearly four percent of the U.S. adult population. While it is usually linked with veterans who’ve experienced combat, PTSD occurs in all people regardless of age, race, nationality, or culture. In fact, women are twice as likely to experience PTSD than men.
If you or someone you know is struggling with the debilitating effects of PTSD and wants to learn about therapy for trauma, Mindful Counseling in Shreveport, Louisiana, is here for you. We provide compassionate support in the form of PTSD therapy to help individuals with trauma heal and thrive. Founded on the principles of empathy and understanding, our practice is dedicated to helping individuals overcome trauma and reclaim their lives.
What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?
One of the difficulties when it comes to treating mental health conditions is that every case will be slightly different. This is true for PTSD as well. Although there are several classic symptoms, the number and severity of the symptoms will vary from person to person.
People with PTSD often experience intense thoughts and feelings related to their traumatic experiences. These can last for a long time after the initial event. Many people with PTSD also relive the event through flashbacks and nightmares. They may feel intense emotions, such as fear, anger, sadness, and detachment from friends, family, and community members. They may find themselves avoiding people and situations that remind them of the traumatic event. Ordinary sounds or incidents such as a door banging or accidental touch in a crowd may cause a strong and uncontrollable reaction.
How Can Treatment Help?
There are a variety of treatments that can be used to treat PTSD and trauma. However, three specific techniques are consistently gaining research-based evidence of their effectiveness in treating trauma and PTSD. When you begin therapy for trauma at Mindful Counseling, you will likely receive one or a combination of these three methods:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy – This modality focuses on how a person perceives a traumatic event and processes it. A PTSD therapist can help their client work through stuck points, which are certain thoughts related to the trauma that prevent the person from recovering.
- EMDR– EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This technique is often considered the gold standard for PTSD therapy and involves the use of bilateral sensory input, such as side-to-side eye movements, to stimulate the brain to process difficult thoughts, memories, and emotions.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)– CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are related to one another. The goal of a CBT therapist is to help a client with PTSD return to a place of hope with a greater sense of being in control of their thoughts and behaviors.
At Mindful Counseling, we understand that healing from trauma is a long, difficult journey, but we’re committed to providing Shreveport residents with the guidance they need. Our PTSD therapists create a safe and nurturing environment where you can explore your feelings, confront painful memories, and learn effective coping strategies to manage your symptoms. If you or a loved one suffer from PTSD and would like to explore treatment options, get in touch with us today to explore PTSD therapy at our practice. Together, we’ll work toward healing the wounds of the past and building a brighter, more hopeful future.