PTSD and Trauma

Have you ever thought about the way two people can see the same TV programme, or take part in the same event, but come away with very different perceptions and memories? In the same way, people react very differently to traumatic events.

Your emotional response depends on you as a person, including your life experience, how you interpret events and what coping strategies you have developed. Experiencing a traumatic event does not always mean you will develop PTSD – but if you do, there are ways to help you.

Symptoms of PTSD

Symptoms and intensity also vary from person to person. You may

•         Experience intrusive, unwanted and random memories, dreams or flashbacks
•         Find your brain and body are overactive
•         Choose to avoid people, places or things associated with your trauma
•         Think more negatively about yourself
•         Blame yourself or others for what happened
•         Feeling cut off, detached and uninterested in life
•         Have trouble remembering things
•         Be quick to feel irritable or angry
•         Engage in self-destructive behaviours
•         Find you are hypervigilant, always feeling you must be on alert

Generally, your rest and your sleep cycle are disrupted, and concentration is poor.

Therapy for PTSD and Trauma

I have been working with PTSD and trauma since 1982.

Usually, when people start therapy, they have little idea what is triggering distress. In many cases there is more than one trigger, so we start by looking at your entire environment. You’ll learn to find the patterns in thoughts, feelings and behaviours which trigger distress for you. Over time, you develop greater awareness, and better coping mechanisms.