Mental Health Therapy for PTSD in Long Island, NY
PTSD can affect anyone who directly experienced or was exposed to a traumatic event.
Trauma can be a single event such as witnessing a death, or long-term, such as continued physical/psychological abuse.
For instance, if you’ve been involved in an accident where someone was hurt because you made a mistake while driving drunk / on drugs, you may be at risk for post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
The symptoms of PTSD can be intrusive and disrupt daily functioning. When PTSD is not treated, decreased functioning can begin to affect work, school, and relationships.
Symptoms vary based on each individual, but typically include avoidance, re-experiencing the trauma and heightened arousal. Distortions in cognition and mood can result as well, making it difficult to function and complete daily tasks.
Some of the most common signs of PTSD include:
Emotional
• Feelings of guilt and shame
• Inability to feel happy or experience positive emotions
• Negative self talk and low self-esteem
• Feeling detached from others
• Avoiding places, feelings or things that remind you of the traumatic event
Psychological
• Flashbacks
• Nightmares and sleep disturbances
• Feeling on edge, hyperaroused, easily startled
• Difficulty concentrating
• Selective amnesia, or an inability to remember parts of the traumatic event(s)
Some individuals with PTSD may experience dissociation.
This may manifest as a feeling that one isn’t real or a distorted perception of time (depersonalization) or feeling that one’s surroundings aren’t real (derealization). It is common for those with PTSD to also experience depression, anxiety, and/or substance abuse.
Various approaches for therapy are available and may include cognitive behavioral therapy, talk therapy, among other holistic methods of healing.
With your counselor, you can identify the negative thoughts that come as a result of trauma and restructure them to create a more positive outlook. You can also begin to transform unhealthy coping mechanisms into ones that will benefit you in the long term.
It is common to withdraw or feel shame as a result of trauma. The professional guidance of a therapist can increase your resilience to the effects of post-traumatic stress. Counseling can provide a safe space for you to release your feelings while overcoming fear and addressing other issues such as depression or anxiety.
Even when the pain of trauma seems overwhelming, there is help available to you.
The Holistic Counseling Center of Long Island provides therapy for PTSD at 2 convenient locations in Long Island, NY. If you or a loved one is struggling with post-traumatic stress, counseling can provide the foundation necessary for holistic healing.
