Psychotherapy is an effective treatment
for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and survivors of trauma.
Therapy always is individualized to meet the specific concerns
and needs of each unique trauma survivor. When a shared plan of
therapy has been developed within an atmosphere of trust and open
discussion by the patient and therapist, a detailed exploration
of trauma memories is done to enable the survivor to cope with
post-traumatic memories, reminders, and feelings without feeling
overwhelmed or emotionally numb.
A number of different factors that may
influence or cause PTSD symptoms, such as early childhood experiences,
current relationships and the things people do (often without
being aware of it) to protect themselves from upsetting thoughts
and feelings that are the result of experiencing a traumatic event.
Psychotherapy can teach people helpful
ways to react to frightening events that trigger their PTSD symptoms.
Therapy can help people visit places and people that are reminders
of the trauma. Psychotherapy can help people identify and deal
with guilt, shame, and other feelings about the event.
The experience of intense fear that accompanies
trauma becomes encoded into the internal memory imprint of the
associated sensory experiences. The unprocessed sensory experiences
and associated emotional reactivity become submerged and repressed
in the subconscious mind as a core emotional complex. When the
appropriate stressors are present or when the suppressive activities
of the ego are weakened, as is the case during sleep this repressed
emotional complex is activated leading to a repeat experience
of the emotional trauma, often with the associated visual imagery
in the form of flashbacks.
Psychotherapy is very helpful in reducing
PTSD symptom expression and arousal.
To book your free initial
consultation Click here - Toronto Psychotherapist.
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