Processing Trauma & PTSD
The hummingbird teaches us to transcend time, to recognize that what has happened in the past and what might happen in the future is not nearly as important as what we are experiencing now. It teaches us to hover in the moment, to appreciate its sweetness.
Constance Barrett Sohodski
Are you having trouble sleeping, plagued by nightmares or distressing thoughts about traumatic situations you have experienced before or after the medical condition or complex need was diagnosed?
Have you experienced reminders of a difficult experiences that distress you, such as learning about the diagnosis or life-threatening aspects of the medical illness or complex need?
Do you avoid certain places because they trigger strong emotional responses or physical sensations?
Do you sometimes wonder if you caused the medical condition or complex need, if you contributed to suffering in some way, or if you might have been able to avoid the diagnosis?
Do you have difficulty feeling positive emotions and feel hopeless about the future because you are always on guard, waiting for the next shoe to drop?
Therapy can help…
provide a comfortable, non-judgemental space to process upsetting or traumatic situations
identify and change troubling emotions, thoughts, and behaviors
develop skills to help identify triggers and manage symptoms
create distance from emotional responses to problems to make it easier to identify unhelpful thoughts and look at situations objectively
enable more control over your thoughts and feelings about the trauma, which can reduce negative impacts on your life, work and relationships