Trauma counseling is a counseling process that helps individuals who have developed symptoms associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) after experiencing traumatic events.
Counseling for trauma typically focuses on the symptoms, thoughts and feelings related to the original event or series of events. This type of counseling can help an individual understand their reactions, cope with memories and rebuild trust in others. It may also be known as Critical Incident Stress Management (CISM) or Critical Incident Debriefing (CID).
There are many different kinds of traumatic experiences that can lead to emotional distress, including combat exposure, physical assault, natural disasters, sudden illness or injury in oneself or loved ones, unexpected death of a loved one, and sexual or emotional abuse.
Trauma recovery can include individuals or groups after any kind of traumatic happening. The goals of counseling are to help victims understand their reactions and symptoms and regain feelings of control while addressing memories of the event. A mental health professional can also help people connect with others in times of need and deal with mental health symptoms such as guilt, anxiety and depression, as well as relationship issues.
Mental health services for trauma will usually be more effective if it includes:
1) Teaching coping skills;
2) Exploring thoughts and feelings about the traumatic events;
3) Finding ways to rebuild trust;
4) Dealing with symptoms such as nightmares, intrusive thoughts, flashbacks and severe anxiety;
5) Strengthening supportive relationships.
What Is PTSD?
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition triggered by trauma. Symptoms can include re-experiencing the traumatic event, avoiding situations that remind you of the event, feeling numb or detached from others, feelings of volatility and guilt about surviving when others didn’t. It’s important to note that PTSD isn’t a sign of weakness; it’s an understandable reaction to very scary events.
Symptoms of PTSD usually start within three months after a traumatic experience but sometimes develop years afterward. The symptoms are different for each person depending on many factors such as age, culture, experiences with past traumas and severity of the current trauma. For some people, they may last only a few weeks whereas for others they may become chronic problems that seem impossible to overcome.
How PTSD Therapy Can Help
PTSD counseling is most effective when started soon after the trauma, but it can help at any time. Therapy involves teaching the client to calm down and focus, then exposing him or her via memory or imagination to the specific thoughts and feelings that accompany traumatic memories. The client is taught coping skills to use for anxiety, anger and other difficult emotions that may interrupt daily life.
This type of therapy usually lasts three months to a year. It’s often helpful to have support from family members during this period, so they understand what is going on and don’t inadvertently interfere with treatment by treating the person as if he or she has a “weakness.”
Well Spring Counseling Is Here To Help!
If you or a loved one is suffering from trauma and PTSD, please give us a call at (208) 522-4885. Our therapists are committed to helping with the emotional impact of trauma and PTSD. Therapy options for this condition usually includes:
1. A thorough assessment will determine what type of therapy would best help you or your loved one overcome the effects of trauma and PTSD.
2. We understand that this can be an extremely difficult time in your life, so we work hard to make sure all our clients feel as comfortable as possible during their counseling sessions. Please visit our Staff page and meet some of the people who will be working with you or your loved one.
3. Ongoing therapy sessions that can include individual, couple/relationship, family and group therapy. We understand that some people require more than one type of treatment to help overcome trauma symptoms.
4. Medication can be helpful in severe cases if the client is not responding to psychotherapy alone. Please discuss this with our mental health professionals.