Our therapists offer PTSD & trauma therapy in Bethlehem, PA

Erin: My go-to approach for helping individuals struggling with PTSD or past trauma is cognitive behavioral therapy with consistent and strong validation for their experiences.

Jami: My go-to approach for helping people in PTSD/trauma therapy is using a mix of CBT and inner child work. I find this helps clients not only cope with present symptoms of PTSD, but also heal the root cause of those symptoms on a deeper, emotional level.

Erin: In treating PTSD, I help clients face and process their trauma while teaching clients distress tolerance relaxation exercises. In processing their trauma, I help clients identify the beliefs they have generated around their experiences, assess the accuracy of those beliefs, reflect on how those beliefs may be impacting their lives, and modify those beliefs as needed to move forward more effectively from the trauma.

Jami: I teach the following tools in PTSD/trauma therapy:

• Grounding skills: Grounding skills help calm our brain out of trauma reminders, flashbacks and triggers into the present moment to help decrease distress.
• Healthy habits: Good sleep, healthy eating, and exercise can go a long way in helping address and prevent trauma symptoms.
• CBT triangle: Learning how to recognize, challenge, and shift negative thoughts and negative storylines about ourselves and the world is a crucial part of healing in trauma.
• Connecting with your inner child: Learning how to connect with your inner child, which is often the part of you most triggered in difficult moments, and to reparent and listen to/protect that part of you.

Erin: I know that clients are making meaningful progress in a few ways. First, I can usually tell by the way in which clients are talking about their experiences. I can hear when the tools we discuss are being applied in a way that expands their perspective and helps them to manage their symptoms more effectively. Second, clients typically tell me that they are feeling better with a reduction in the severity of their negative symptoms. Third, I see progress through the increase of goal-directed behaviors over time. These signs of progress make this job so incredibly rewarding!

Jami: I know a client is making meaningful progress in PTSD/trauma therapy when they have a better grasp on the root of their trauma, can successfully use grounding skills, and are open to exploring and talking about their trauma for the goal of healing.

Erin: Individuals can supplement their time in trauma therapy with meditation, physical movement, bibliotherapy, and support groups as needed.

Jami: Clients can supplement their time in PTSD/trauma therapy with daily practice of grounding skills, journaling, and engaging in healthy self-care outlets. I also share podcast and book recommendations with my clients that align with what we're learning in session to help supplement therapy and assist between visits.

Erin: No preparation needed! Come as you are.

Jami: To prepare for their first PTSD/trauma therapy session, someone can take a deep breath and know that we won't jump all in at once. We'll take calculated baby steps with a lot of support to create a safe environment of challenge in small steps toward healing.