Traumatic events such as sexual assault, childhood abuse, natural disasters, and car accidents are sudden, life threatening events that may leave a lasting impact. Sometimes, individuals who experience traumatic events develop symptoms associated with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), including: being flooded with thoughts/memories related to the event(s), engaging in efforts to avoid memories associated with the event(s), persistent fear (hypervigilance), and negative view of yourself/others/the world.
Recovery is possible. We will help you see your traumatic event as a memory of the past so you are able to live a meaningful life in the present moment. We do this through collaborating with you to find the best treatment approach for your needs. For teens/adults, we utilize Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD, a 12 session evidence-based treatment model that was first researched within combat veterans and has since been generalized to various populations. CPT will teach you to become your own therapist which helps you to confront your avoidance, live in the moment, and have a more balanced view of yourself and the world. For younger children, we utilize Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT), a module that helps children understand their emotions, cope with difficult events, and process traumatic events so the memories are less activating/scary. We also teach parents/caregivers the tools to effectively help their children through distressing emotions tied to traumatic events.