What are Trauma and PTSD?

PTSD is an abbreviation for “Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.” Let’s break it down: Post-traumatic means “after a trauma.” Trauma is a shocking event that has happened to you or that you have witnessed. We hear a lot about our soldiers living through trauma (and some do). The shocking event can also be a rape, robbery, being beaten (including domestic violence), surviving a terrible car crash or a tornado, flood, or fire. The shocking event can be the abuse that a child suffers (physical, verbal or sexual abuse), abuse that piles up day after day. Any experience where you think you may die, be severely injured, or in which you have no power to prevent the violation of your personal boundaries – that’s “trauma.”

The after-the-trauma stress is the reaction of your brain and body to the trauma. Here are common symptoms:

• You can’t stop thinking about the trauma.
• You have nightmares about it.
• You’re jumpy, on edge, defensive.
• You go from 0 to angry in a heartbeat.
• You feel emotionally numb.
• You avoid reminders of the trauma.
• You feel very bad about yourself, like you’re damaged goods, ruined, or that the world is ruined.

When these symptoms cause you to suffer every day, when they interfere with your job, your family life, your happiness. That’s the “D”, disorder.

The effects of trauma, the after-the-trauma stress disorder, is an illness, but it is a treatable illness. If what you have read above sounds like you, then you’d be wise to be evaluated further. I can provide that evaluation and I can also provide treatment.

The therapy I provide, psychodynamic therapy, is an effective, evidence-based treatment for PTSD and other negative effects of trauma. Therapy isn’t simply talking, chatting. We’ll work together to relieve the symptoms you’re living with and improve the negative impact that post-traumatic stress has had on your life.