Trauma & PTSD

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What is trauma?

Trauma refers to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. Virtually everyone experiences some form of trauma at some point in their lives. Examples of trauma include:

• Physical abuse
• Sexual abuse or assault
• Emotional abuse
• Physical or emotional neglect
• Combat experience
• Witnessing violence
• Addiction within your household
• Mental illness within your household
• Serious accidents
• Natural disasters

Trauma can include difficult life circumstances, such as the sudden death of a loved one, divorce, or caring for a chronically ill family member. 

Does trauma cause symptoms?

People react in different ways to traumatic events. Emotions such as worry, fear, sorrow, and anger often arise after trauma. Most of the time, those feelings subside as time passes, and you process the traumatic experience.

Sometimes, however, the negative emotions caused by trauma don’t go away. Trauma in childhood or adulthood can trigger anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. 

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) occurs when trauma causes ongoing symptoms that interfere with your ability to function in life, such as:

• Intrusive memories of the event
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares
• Easy startle response
• Insomnia
• Irritability or aggression
• Feeling detached from friends and family
• Lack of interest in activities you used to enjoy
• Feeling guilt, shame, or worthlessness
• Thoughts of self-harm

Anxiety, depression, and addiction frequently occur along with PTSD.

Can treatment address trauma or PTSD?

Yes, treatment can help you process your traumatic experiences and help you develop healthy coping strategies so you can overcome the symptoms of trauma.

The providers at Nugent Family Counseling Center have extensive experience designing personalized treatment plans to address trauma and PTSD. 

The team creates integrative treatment programs designed to identify the root cause of your negative emotions, restore your self-esteem and confidence, and treat any co-occurring mental health conditions.

Your custom treatment plan might include:

• Medication management
• Psychotherapy
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Dialectical-behavioral therapy (DBT)
• Group therapy
• Aromatherapy
• Hypnosis
• Microcurrent electrical therapy

Neurofeedback at Nugent Family Counseling Center can help reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression that often arise due to traumatic experiences.

This innovative procedure increases brain activity in the areas of your brain that regulate mood, behavior, cognition, and other mental functions. Neurofeedback restores healthy brain function, which supports the process of recovering from trauma.

If you or a loved one has experienced trauma or shows signs of PTSD, don’t wait to schedule a consultation with a mental health expert at Nugent Family Counseling Center. Call the nearest location or book an appointment online today.