Trauma & PTSD
Do you need help with Trauma or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Trauma is an emotional response to a terrible event / events.
Post Traumatic Stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that's triggered by a traumatic event - either experiencing it or witnessing it. It affects around 1 in 3 people and can develop immediately after the event or can occur weeks or even months and sometimes years afterwards.
What can cause Trauma and PTSD?
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Traumatic Events
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Military Combat
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Road Traffic Accidents
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Physical Assault
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Sexual assault
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Robbery, Mugging
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Being Held Hostage
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Terrorist Attack
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Natural Disaster
The Symptoms?
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Intrusive thoughts and memories
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Having flashbacks and reliving the distressing memories of traumatic event
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Severe emotional distress or physical reactions to something that reminds you of the event ( eg a Newspaper report about a domestic abuse may remind a victim or a firework going off may remind a soldier of the event )
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Avoidance Trying to avoid thinking or talking about the traumatic event Avoiding places, activities or people that remind you of the traumatic event
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Thinking and mood Changes
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Negative feelings about yourself or other people
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Feeling emotionally numb
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Lack of interest in activities you once enjoyed, hopelessness about the future
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Memory problems, including not remembering important aspects of the traumatic event
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Difficulty maintaining close relationships
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Changes in emotional reactions: Irritability, angry outbursts or aggressive behaviour
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Always being on "high alert" for danger and being easily startled or frightened
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Self-destructive behavior, such as drinking too much or driving too fast
Trouble concentrating or sleeping
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Feeling overwhelmed with guilt or shame
Treatment for Trauma and PTSD
PTSD is like a wound that has not healed. With the right kind of therapeutic help it can be healed Once the healing is complete, the wound closes and becomes a scar. The facts have not changed, and the scar remains, but the hurt is no longer there to fester and damage.
Mark offers different psychotherapy interventions to treat PTSD. The following can be used in their own right or uniquely combined to suit the individual's need:
EMDR (Eye Movement Dissociation Technique)
VK (Visual Kinaesthetic) Dissociation Technique, also known as "Rewind Technique"
EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)
Hypnotherapy
New Beginnings also offers the "Victim to Victory" programme which is particularly designed to help individuals that have been traumatised in childhood, their teenage years or even as young adults It helps them emerge from the trauma of their past, reduce anger, anxiety and depression symptoms, and move forward with their lives into a healthier, happier future.
"You have helped me to get my independence back, I was stuck in such a small circle of area and was becoming depressed! After hypnotherapy, EMDR and someone to talk to I gained confidence again and I am now on my way to recovery, going to new places with the help of techniques and relaxation CDs I was given. Couldn't thank you enough." (Michelle)
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