Trauma & PTSD
Prolonged Exposure Therapy
Are you experiencing racing thoughts, tossing and turning, nightmares, flashbacks, irritability, fight, flight or freeze? I use a variety of techniques to help you learn relaxation and coping skills so you can finally breathe.
Key components of Prolonged Exposure Therapy include
Education: You will learn about the nature of PTSD and the symptoms they may experience. Understanding the impact of trauma helps to normalize your feelings.
Imaginal Exposure: You are guided to recall and narrate their traumatic experiences repeatedly. This process allows them to process the memories and reduce your emotionally charged response over time.
In Vivo Exposure: You will gradually face avoided situations or reminders of the trauma. This gradual exposure helps to decrease anxiety associated with these triggers.
Coping Skills: You will be taught relaxation techniques and coping strategies to manage anxiety during exposure exercises.
The goal of PE is to help you regain a sense of control over your thoughts, feelings, reduce avoidance behaviors, and ultimately alleviate symptoms of PTSD. Research has shown PE to be effective in decreasing the severity of symptoms and improving overall functioning in those affected by trauma.
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a structured, evidence-based cognitive-behavioral therapy designed to help individuals who have experienced trauma, particularly those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The therapy focuses on helping you to understand and modify your thoughts and beliefs related to the trauma, which can help reduce the distress of emotions and unhealthy coping patterns.
Key components of Cognitive Processing Therapy include
Education: Patients learn about the impact of trauma and PTSD symptoms, helping them understand how their experiences can affect their thoughts and emotions.
Identifying Maladaptive Thoughts: Patients are guided to identify and challenge negative thoughts and cognitive distortions related to the trauma, such as feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame.
Cognitive Restructuring: Through discussion and exercises, patients work to revise and replace maladaptive thoughts with healthier, more balanced beliefs. This process promotes a more adaptive understanding of the trauma and its effects.
Writing Narratives: Patients often write detailed accounts of their traumatic experiences. This narrative process helps them confront and process their memories, facilitating emotional processing.
Homework Assignments: Structured assignments outside of therapy sessions encourage patients to apply the skills they are learning in real-life situations.
Overall, the goal of Cognitive Processing Therapy is to help you gain a deeper understanding of your trauma, reduce distressing thoughts, and promote emotional healing. Research shows tools learned from this form of therapy can be effective in reducing PTSD symptoms and enhancing overall functioning in those who have experienced trauma.