What is PTSD/trauma therapy?
At Thriveworks, PTSD/trauma therapy involves dedicated efforts to address and navigate through past and/or recent traumatic events. Therapists specializing in trauma create a secure environment to process and heal from these experiences, aiming to reduce trauma-related symptoms and enhance overall quality of life.
How does PTSD/trauma therapy work?
Our Thriveworks providers use PTSD/trauma therapy treatments like eye movement desensitization and reprocessing EMDR, CBT, and exposure therapy with the goal of helping clients process the traumatic events they have experienced so that they can to start feeling safe and secure again.
Symptoms of PTSD
The symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can vary but often include:
- Flashbacks and distressing memories of the traumatic event
- Nightmares and sleep disturbances
- Intense anxiety and irritability
- Avoidance of reminders of the trauma
- Negative changes in mood and thought patterns
- Increased arousal, like difficulty concentrating or exaggerated startle response
How do you overcome PTSD triggers?
The best way to overcome PTSD triggers is to seek the assistance of a professional therapist, such as those at Thriveworks, who can help you to understand and treat your PTSD triggers.
What type of therapist is best for PTSD?
In most cases, a therapist who specializes in PTSD/trauma therapy is the best type of mental health professional to address the symptoms of PTSD.
Is PTSD/trauma therapy conducted in person or online?
PTSD/trauma therapy at Thriveworks is conducted both in person and online by video. We encourage you to choose the option that works best for you.
How long should you go to therapy for PTSD?
If a client is working through a single traumatic event that occurred as an adult, trauma or PTSD therapy may only take a few months, but in general, it can take a year or more to effectively treat trauma symptoms and PTSD. The duration of treatment is highly dependent on the client and the severity of their symptoms.
How successful is therapy for PTSD?
The success rate of therapy for PTSD depends entirely on the individual's symptoms, commitment to attending sessions, and personal abilities.
Need more help deciding?
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder in Chesterfield, VA—Therapists and Counselors
PTSD can occur relatively soon after someone survives a trauma. Reaching out for help may be an important step in healing.
Thriveworks Chesterfield provides therapy for PTSD. Call us or book online to get started with one of our empathetic providers today.
PTSD Risk Factors
Mental health professionals have identified several risk factors that make PTSD’s development more likely:
- Living through an acute or long-term trauma.
- How an individual’s brain regulates hormones that allow them to respond to danger and threats to their safety.
- Genetic and family history, particularly if a history of anxiety and depression exists.
- What kind of trauma was experienced, particularly the intensity of it.
- Other trauma an individual has experienced throughout life, especially childhood trauma and abuse.
- Working in a profession where one is potentially exposed to trauma: military personnel, police officers, first responders, ER doctors, etcetera.
- Current or previous substance abuse or addiction.
- Anemic support systems, particularly estrangement from family members and friends.
There is no formula for what traumatic experiences can develop into PTSD, and no list could contain every kind of trauma. A few of common traumas include: being threatened, receiving a terminal diagnosis, combat exposure, being bullied, physical assault, sexual violence, experiencing an accident (car crash, fire, et cetera), childhood abuse (physical, sexual, or emotional), and more.
PTSD Therapy Treatment
At Thriveworks, our providers can help treat PTSD and trauma with the following approaches, among others:
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET)
- Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
- Somatic Experiencing (SE)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR)
Setting Up an Appointment for PTSD at Thriveworks Chesterfield
If you have experienced trauma of any kind, consider reaching out for help. The therapists at Thriveworks Chesterfield accept many forms of insurance, and weekend and evening sessions are offered.
Call today or schedule online to get started.
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