TRAUMA & POST TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD)

Trauma occurs when you experience stressful, frightening, or distressing events that are difficult to cope with or out of your control. It could be a one-time incident or an ongoing event that happens over a long period of time.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) develops when an individual has experienced or witnessed a scary, terrifying, or dangerous event. These stressful events can involve a situation where someone's life has been threatened or acute injury has occurred.

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The program will focus on:

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• Evaluate and measure PTSD with the checklist

• Evaluate co-occurring conditions such as depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders.

• Psychoeducation about PTSD, its symptoms, and the treatment process.

• Discuss the impact of trauma on the brain and body.

• Establish a safe therapeutic environment to initiate safety and stabilization

• Practice coping skills for managing symptoms, such as grounding techniques, deep breathing exercises, and mindfulness practices.

• Focus on building a strong therapeutic alliance.

• Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will address distorted beliefs related to the trauma and develop healthier thought patterns.

• Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) will help to confront and process traumatic memories through repeated exposure in a controlled setting.

• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) will apply bilateral stimulation to help patients reprocess traumatic memories and reduce distress.

• Integrate therapy to address somatic experiences with a focus on the physiological impact of trauma by helping you become aware of and release physical tension.

• Sensorimotor psychotherapy will focus on the connection between the body and mind in processing trauma.

• Narrative therapy will encourage us to reframe trauma experiences and construct a coherent narrative.

• Discuss lifestyle modifications with regular exercises to encourage physical activity to improve mood and reduce anxiety.

• Discuss nutrition to promote a balanced diet that supports overall physical and mental health.

• Discuss sleep hygiene to establish routines to improve sleep quality, addressing common PTSD-related sleep disturbances.

• Holistic and creative therapeutic techniques will involve Art Therapy to use creative expression to process and communicate traumatic experiences. Music can be incorporated as a therapeutic tool for emotional expression and relaxation. Yoga and guided meditation exercises will be integrated into mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve emotional regulation.

• Ongoing monitoring and adjustment will be required to schedule regular follow-up sessions to assess progress and adjust the treatment plan as needed.

• Long-term maintenance and relapse prevention will offer ongoing therapy sessions as needed.

• Individuals will identify potential triggers and coping strategies for managing future stressors and practice learned coping techniques.

• Encouragement for personal growth and resilience by focusing on building resilience and fostering post-traumatic growth with contentious engagement in activities that promote self-discovery and personal development.

By implementing this comprehensive treatment plan, individuals with PTSD can work towards healing, symptom reduction, and achieving a better quality of life.