Most people will experience trauma in their lifetime whether it’s a car accident, abuse or neglect, the sudden death of a loved one, a violent criminal act, exposure to the violence of war, or a natural disaster.
While many people can recover from trauma over time with the love and support of family and friends and bounce back with resiliency, others may discover effects of lasting trauma, which can cause a person to live with deep emotional pain, fear, confusion, or posttraumatic stress far after the event has passed.
In these circumstances, the support, guidance and assistance of a therapist is fundamental to healing from trauma.
Trauma Symptoms
According to the four types of symptoms listed in the DSM-5
Avoidance Symptoms
- Avoiding specific locations, sights, situations, and sounds that serve as reminders of the event
- Anxiety, depression, numbness, or guilt
Re-experiencing Symptoms
- Intrusive thoughts, nightmares or flashbacks
Hyper-arousal Symptoms
- Anger, irritability and hyper-vigilance
- Aggressive, reckless behavior, including self-harm
- Sleep disturbances
Negative Mood and Cognition Symptoms
- Loss of interest in activities that were once considered enjoyable
- Difficulty remembering details of the distressing event
- Change in habits or behavior since the trauma
Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Dr. Johnson is certified in Trauma Focused Cognitive Therapy (TF-CBT) which is an evidenced based treatment (EBT) for adolescents. Prolonged Exposure (PE) is the precursor of TF-CBT which is the exposure therapy for adults. Dr. Johnson also has been through the basic training for therapist using EMDR II. Bessel Van der Kolt in his book The Body Keeps the Score points out that there are creative therapies that are effective in treating trauma. From a bottom up perspective having the body involved is preferred. Competency based Psychodrama has tools for including the body which no other forms of therapy have. J.L. Moreno the creator of Psychodrama believed that, “Whatever is learned in action, must also be unlearned in action.”
If you or someone you know match the trauma symptoms listed above, I am confident that I can help and invite you to contact me today so we can schedule an appointment.