Evidenced-Based Trauma/PTSD Treatment
What is PTSD?
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PTSD a mental health condition that's triggered by experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event in which bodily harm or sexual violence was threatened or perpetrated. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. Most people who go through traumatic events may have temporary difficulty adjusting and coping, but with time and good self-care, they get better. If the symptoms get worse, last for months or even years, and interfere with your day-to-day functioning, you may have PTSD.
Research into PTSD shows that avoidance of traumatic memories and related emotions both trigger and exacerbate symptoms of PTSD. As such, effective trauma therapy necessitates an element of exposure as a key mechanism for change. According to the National Center for PTSD, the exposure-based trauma-focused therapies with the strongest evidence of their efficacy are Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). Neuroaffective Relational Model (NARM), on the other hand, does not require exposure as it is used to treat complex, developmental, and relational trauma. Psychotherapists at our counseling center are trained to address PTSD and complex trauma using these evidenced-based treatments depending on what is appropriate.