Trauma is a technical term, but in the context of psychology it simply means having a deeply distressing or disturbing experience. This experience affects the person in a significant way that does not get healed with time. Trauma is often defined as part of a mental illness and while this is a fair definition, it's … Continue reading Treating trauma symptoms vs treating the trauma itself
Category: PTSD
The Effects of PTSD on Everyday Life
I recently read an excellent summary article that discusses common ways post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, can affect someone's life. I'll briefly summarize it, but if you'd like to read it in full, please click the link above. Problems at work and relationships. People with PTSD tend to miss more work and work less efficiently, … Continue reading The Effects of PTSD on Everyday Life
Five ideas on what to do when you feel like giving up
I have been getting messages from life lately teaching me how to react when I feel like giving up. Don't we all feel like giving up sometimes? I have felt that way in my career, in my schooling, and in my personal life in one way or another. My clients have expressed to me similar … Continue reading Five ideas on what to do when you feel like giving up
If you need to see a counselor for PTSD, but don’t know if you can talk about it
This is a great question, and one that I get frequently. In the past, the way therapists were taught to deal with PTSD is to talk about it. They had the patient talk again and again and again about what happened, and over time the person would become desensitized and have more tolerance for their … Continue reading If you need to see a counselor for PTSD, but don’t know if you can talk about it
How to choose good self-help resources, pt 3
“In recent years, more Americans will seek mental health information from the Internet or attend a self-help group than will consult all mental health professionals combined. Self-help is, frankly, big business. According to recent market research, Americans spend an estimated $10 billion a year on self-improvement products!” I'm writing the same quote on all three … Continue reading How to choose good self-help resources, pt 3
How to choose good self-help resources, pt 2
"In recent years, more Americans will seek mental health information from the Internet or attend a self-help group than will consult all mental health professionals combined. Self-help is, frankly, big business. According to recent market research, Americans spend an estimated $10 billion a year on self-improvement products!" That's how I started my last post. Today … Continue reading How to choose good self-help resources, pt 2
How to choose good self-help resources
In recent years, more Americans will seek mental health information from the Internet or attend a self-help group than will consult all mental health professionals combined. Self-help is, frankly, big business. According to recent market research, Americans spend an estimated $10 billion a year on self-improvement products! While it is big business, it's not always … Continue reading How to choose good self-help resources
How to be in a relationship with someone who has PTSD
Maybe you don't have PTSD, but someone you love does. A spouse, significant other, parent, child, other relative. They may not seem like the person you knew before. You love them but aren't sure how to support them. What do you do? Here are some tips. Gain some knowledge! The first thing to do is … Continue reading How to be in a relationship with someone who has PTSD
Do’s and Don’ts for a good night’s sleep
Sleep. So many of us take a good night's sleep for granted, until we hit a time in our lives when it seems like some elusive unicorn we start chasing and can't quite catch. Insomnia can be very difficult for anyone who has it. Let me share some information that can be helpful for those … Continue reading Do’s and Don’ts for a good night’s sleep
Getting relief from PTSD-related nightmares
Here's a technique for dealing with nightmares called imagery rehearsal
Jason Chastain, psychotherapist 