Trauma and PTSD

PTSD refers to "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder."  I use this term here to generally refer to the after-effects of trauma.  Trauma, whether meeting the full criteria for PTSD or not, often causes severe distress and an inability to function in one's life, and can bring a person to therapy. The traumatic event(s) could have happened very recently, or date back to early childhood.  Fortunately, therapy can be extremely effective in alleviating symptoms of trauma and helping survivors of trauma work through issues of fear, anger, and anxiety.

People can have traumatic responses to any number of events:  sexual or physical assault, the sudden loss of a loved one, or experiences in which one thought her/his life was in danger.  Obviously, such experiences can happen across numerous circumstances:  rape or assault, combat or military experiences, ongoing abuse or neglect throughout one's childhood, or in response to a natural disaster.  

My interest and expertise in working with trauma survivors is evidenced both in my private practice work with a variety of sexual assault survivors, and through my work with combat veterans at the Department of Veteran Affairs.  I have a flexible and responsive approach in helping people work through symptoms of trauma such as anxiety, agitation, fear, insomnia, nightmares, or avoidance, so that they can get on with their life.