“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this too, was a gift.”
Mary Oliver
Do you feel tense and unable to relax even though there is nothing immediately threatening in your life? Do you react with emotions out of proportion to the situation? Do you avoid thinking about painful and overwhelming experiences? Or, do negative thoughts about the past keep intruding on your waking moments and in your nightmares? You may struggle with feelings of shame or guilt. You may hold strong negative beliefs about yourself such as, “I am a bad person. I am unworthy and unloveable. There is something terribly wrong with me.” You may be irritable and have anger outbursts that feel out of your control. You may have difficulties forming deep and intimate relationships because you are afraid of people hurting or leaving you. You may have a hard time remembering painful events or periods in your life. You may be using food, sex, work, or substances to cope with the pain.
If you are experiencing some of these symptoms, you may have unprocessed trauma and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Trauma and PTSD are not limited to people who have experienced extreme violence, disaster, war, or accidents. You can experience trauma or PTSD symptoms from overwhelming, upsetting, or frightening experiences where you:
With the global pandemic, natural disasters, sociopolitical upheaval, economic uncertainty, and environmental crisis of the past several years, many people have experienced prolonged stress and tension that were beyond their ability to cope. A study of five countries including the United States estimated that 13% of people reported post-traumatic symptoms related to the pandemic.
If you are experiencing trauma and PTSD symptoms, you don’t have to struggle through it alone. Therapy with a trauma specialist can provide you relief. Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to find out more about trauma therapy with one of our compassionate and skilled counselors today.
Some of the symptoms of trauma and PTSD include:
Not all traumatic experiences cause trauma symptoms or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For example, two people can experience the same car accident, and yet one may develop trauma symptoms while the other does not. Trauma symptoms can develop when there is a lack of support from family and friends who can help you identify, express, and make meaning of your emotions after a traumatic experience.
You will know that you are making progress in healing from past trauma when:
Trauma therapy is not an easy or comfortable process. Trauma therapy can bring up difficult memories and emotions. In order to confront the past and finally be free of it, you may feel worse symptoms before you feel better. To get the most of your therapy, you can:
You don’t have to live with feeling stuck or held back by your past traumas. Trauma and PTSD symptoms do not have to be a barrier to a life worth living. If what you’ve read here resonates and you live in the Seattle area, we encourage you to reach out and contact us today. We can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation and begin exploring how psychotherapy can help you on your journey toward healing. Please contact us if you have any questions or concerns regarding treatment. Someone from our team would be happy to address any questions you have about trauma or PTSD therapy.
Schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation to see if we are a good fit.
5306 Ballard Ave NW, Suite 212,
Seattle, WA
Phone: 206-403-1148
Fax: 206-800-1091
Email: contact@thriveforthepeople.com