Have you experienced a traumatic event? Are you suffering from lingering fear and anxiety? Do you feel like you no longer have any control over how you think, feel, and behave?

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health challenge that sometimes occurs in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event, such as a natural disaster, a terrorist act, an act of war, a serious accident, rape, or any other violent personal assault. At Palmetto Mental Health Counseling, I provide personalized PTSD therapy for clients in Columbia and online throughout the state of South Carolina for adults who are carrying the effects of trauma. Through compassionate, evidence-based counseling, I help clients better understand their trauma responses, reduce distress, and begin building a stronger sense of safety, clarity, and control. 

What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?

It is believed that PTSD affects nearly four percent of the U.S. adult population. While it is usually linked with veterans who’ve experienced combat, PTSD occurs in all people regardless of age, race, nationality, or culture. In fact, women are twice as likely to experience PTSD than men. People with PTSD often experience:

• Intense thoughts and feelings related to their traumatic experiences, often culminating in an emotional response such as fear, anger, and sadness

• Reliving the event through flashbacks and nightmares

• Detachment from friends, family, and community members

• Avoidance behaviors

• Being constantly alert and easily startled

These symptoms can begin immediately or take several months or even years to appear, and they can last for a long time after the initial event. In fact, some people struggle with PTSD for the rest of their lives. Ordinary sounds or incidents such as a door banging or accidental touch in a crowd may cause a strong and uncontrollable reaction as your brain connects the present and the past. The good news is that a good PTSD therapist can help.

How Does Treatment Help?

There are a variety of treatments that can be used for PTSD. However, there are three specific techniques that are consistently gaining research-based evidence of their effectiveness in successfully treating PTSD. These are:

• Cognitive Processing Therapy – This modality focuses on how a person perceives a traumatic event and processes it. A therapist can help their client work through stuck points, which are certain thoughts related to the trauma that prevents the person from recovering. 

• EMDR – EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This technique uses bilateral sensory input such as side-to-side eye movements to stimulate the brain to process difficult thoughts, memories, and emotions.

• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are related to one another. The goal of a CBT therapist is to help a client with PTSD return to a place of hope with a greater sense of being in control of their thoughts and behaviors.

Healing from PTSD takes time, support, and a therapeutic relationship built on trust. But with the right mental health professional on your side, your recovery can begin.

Start Putting the Past Behind You

If you are ready to begin meaningful work with a therapist who offers personalized, trauma-informed care in and around Columbia, SC, Palmetto Mental Health Counseling is here to help. I have personally seen amazing transformation through PTSD therapy and want to offer the help you need to enjoy life again. Contact me today to schedule an online therapy appointment and take the next step toward living with greater confidence!