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  • Trauma

    Do you feel jumpy, disconnected or like you are walking around in a daze?

    Do you feel pressure to “get over it” or as if you should “move on already”?

    Do you suffer from flashbacks or nightmares of the stressful event?

    Do you avoid situations or reminders of the traumatic event?

    You should know you are not alone. Based on the Journal of Traumatic Stress, approximately 8% of people in your community will experience Post Traumatic stress in their lifetimes. The same study revealed 4.7% of those individuals have experienced PTSD over the last year and 3.8% in the past 6 months. These statistics reveal Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is more common than most think. Millions of Americans are continuously haunted by the emotional, physical and mental effects of an experienced traumatic event.

    Our therapists at Inner Courage Counseling work with all ages and varieties of trauma. We often hear that a client thought their traumatic experience was not significant enough compared to a friends. They tell themselves things such as “You should be able to get over it”, “Be strong”, “Just stop thinking about it”…. Truth is that due to the impact of the experience on the pathways in your brain, the event that you struggle to escape is worth seeking help to eliminate. No matter how “unimportant” or “silly” you think your experience was, we are ready to help.

    Here are some questions to consider when finding the best fit for your needs:

    – I have been directly affected by or someone close to me has experienced a traumatic event.

    – I replay the stressful event over and over with vivid images and physically distressing reminders such as heart palpitations, sweating and nightmares.

    – I am easily frightened or startled.

    – I feel on display and like everyone is watching.

    – I feel like everything is my fault, isolated or loss of interest in previously enjoyed interests.

    – Friends and family have suggested I seek professional psychotherapy services to talk about my stressful encounter.

    – I want to get back to feeling more like myself prior to the stressor and fulfill my life roles in the ways I feel good about.

    …Then Inner Courage trauma therapists may offer the ideal therapeutic approach for you.

    Our therapists take a compassionate client-centered approach to meet the client where they are comfortable starting. The psychotherapy that we offer is not one-size fits all. Our client determines the speed, process and outcomes of the trauma counseling offered at Inner Courage Counseling. We understand trauma therapy may be a terrifying step after a terrifying ordeal. We want to support you through the baby steps, with you leading the way.

    At Inner Courage Counseling, our supportive clinicians have cumulatively over 15 years of experience in counseling individuals suffering from a traumatic experience. Inner Courage therapists pride themselves on being empathic, supportive, patient, kind and understanding. We want to work with you as an equal to collaborate in healing from your trauma.

    Experiencing trauma can feel like a never-ending cycle of suffering. Experiencing mental and physical responses as a result of the traumatic event, can be an exhausting and horrifying experience on a daily basis that impacts all areas of functioning. Our goal in therapy when treating trauma is to create healthier patterns in your brain, so your body and mind can do what it is meant to do best- flourish!

    Another goal in trauma therapy is extinguishing the pain. We start this by identifying the source and triggers exacerbating your emotional, mental and even physical suffering. The Inner Courage trauma counselors will empathically discuss ways to manage unhealthy and distorted thoughts and behaviors. We also will engage in psychoeducation to normalize your symptoms, to help you know you are not alone in the aftermath. We want to teach you skills to manage your distress and help you to grow past this time in your life.

    Society views the word “Trauma” as directly associated with the diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a common diagnosis as a result of a traumatic event. Although common in millions of Americans, there are other diagnoses that can be associated with distressing events. Therapists at Inner Courage Counseling also have experience in working with:

    Acute Stress Disorder

    Adjustment Disorders

    Borderline Personality Disorder

    Dependent Personality Disorder

    Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder

    Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder

    Dissociative Amnesia

    Enuresis/Encopresis

    Histrionic Personality Disorder

    Illness Anxiety Disorder

    Other Stress related disorders

    Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

    Reactive Attachment Disorder

    Somatic Symptom Disorder

    Substance Use Disorders

    You may ask: Is it too late for me to seek counseling for a traumatic event?

    Due to the nature of brain altering effects after experiencing a traumatic event, the lasting consequences can be difficult to manage and remedy. Resulting symptoms can boil over into the various areas of functioning and quality of life can be impacted. Inner Courage Counseling also offers Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which has historically shown effectiveness in treating varieties of trauma.

     

    To learn about treatments for PTSD and Trauma offered at Inner Courage Counseling check out our Cognitive Processing Therapy page and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing page.  Please note: we are not currently offering EMDR services at this time.

     

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