Person to Person Psychotherapy
SAFETY SEEKERS
You may have landed here because...
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you are experiencing mood swings, anger outbursts, or emotional numbing
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you are feeling worthlessness, shame, or confusion about your identity
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patterns of avoidance, fear of intimacy, and difficult with trust are getting in the way of forming and maintaining healthy relationships
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you are having trouble concentrating, making decisions, or maintaining employment
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New York and New Jersey Psychotherapy
TRAUMA CENTER TRAUMA SENSITIVE YOGA (TCTSY) FOR COMPLEX TRAUMA AND PTSD FAQs
Emphasizes body awareness and encourages participants to tune into their bodily sensations, which can help them to better understand and regulate their emotional responses.
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Emphasizes the importance of choice and agency, allowing you to have control over your practice and adjust it to meet your unique needs and preferences.
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Incorporates breathing techniques and gentle movements, which can help to promote relaxation and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression.
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Helps participants feel connected to themselves, to others, and to the world around them, which can be particularly important for trauma survivors who may struggle with feelings of isolation and disconnection.
New York and New Jersey Psychotherapy
PSYCHOTHERAPY FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER (PTSD) FAQs
What is trauma?
Trauma refers to a deeply distressing or disturbing experience that overwhelms an individual's ability to cope with and process the emotions associated with it. Traumatic events can be both physically and emotionally harmful, and they often involve a threat to a person's life or well-being.
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Trauma can result from a wide range of experiences, including but not limited to:
Natural disasters (e.g., earthquakes, floods, hurricanes)
Accidents or physical injuries
Violence or abuse (e.g., domestic violence, sexual assault, child abuse)
War or combat situations
Witnessing or being involved in a severe accident
Serious illness or medical procedures
Sudden loss of a loved one
Neglect or abandonment
Bullying or harassment
Emotional or psychological abuse
What is complex trauma?
Complex trauma refers to the experience of multiple or prolonged traumatic events, particularly during childhood or over an extended period of time. Unlike a single traumatic incident, complex trauma involves repeated exposure to traumatic situations or ongoing traumatic relationships that can profoundly impact an individual's psychological and emotional well-being.
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Complex trauma commonly occurs in the context of interpersonal relationships, such as in cases of child abuse or neglect, domestic violence, prolonged exposure to community violence, or living in war-torn areas. The trauma can be physical, emotional, or sexual in nature, and the effects can be pervasive and long-lasting.
The impact of complex trauma can be wide-ranging and may affect various aspects of an individual's life. It can disrupt the development of basic trust, sense of safety, and attachment patterns, leading to difficulties in forming healthy relationships. Complex trauma can also affect cognitive functioning, emotional regulation, and self-esteem. Individuals who have experienced complex trauma may exhibit symptoms such as anxiety, depression, dissociation, hypervigilance, flashbacks, emotional dysregulation, and difficulties with self-identity.
Why therapy for Post- Traumatic Stress Disorder
Past experiences of unresolved trauma can deeply shape current behavior. For many, these memories resurface in various forms like reenactments, flashbacks, nightmares, intrusive thoughts, and vivid images, often causing distress. When confronted with these reminders of past trauma, individuals understandably resort to avoidance mechanisms such as busyness, substance use, or avoiding close relationships. Yet, when one set of avoidance tactics fails, people may adopt more, gradually limiting their world. Consequently, unprocessed memories from the past hold significant sway over an individual's present life.
Addressing unprocessed trauma memories and symptoms of PTSD often involves recounting traumatic experiences with a trained professional. Psychotherapy helps individuals explore and process their traumatic experiences, emotions, and thoughts. Therapists typically lead individuals through a process of revisiting past traumas, drawing on principles of exposure therapy, notably pioneered by Edna Foa. The goal is to help clients process traumatic memories in a way that allows them to regain control over their lives, rather than letting the memories control them.
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Therapy helps trauma survivors to gain a deeper understanding of the trauma, reduce its impact on daily life, and ultimately foster resilience and growth.
THE IMPACT OF TRAUMA FAQs
Illness and Trauma
Illness can often co-occur and have a complex relationship with trauma. The experience of illness can be a traumatic event in itself, particularly if it involves ongoing pain, disability, and loss of function. Individuals who have experienced trauma may be at increased risk for developing illnesses, such as autoimmune disorders and cardiovascular disease, due to the long-term impact of stress and trauma on the body.
Loss and Trauma
Trauma can have a significant impact on an individual's ability to process and cope with grief. Grief is a natural response to loss, and individuals who have experienced trauma may have difficulty processing and accepting their emotions, particularly if they have a history of attachment difficulties or have experienced multiple losses throughout their life.
Caregivers and Trauma
Trauma can also have a significant impact on caregiver stress. Caregivers of individuals who have experienced trauma may experience high levels of stress, as they may be caring for someone who has a complex set of needs and may struggle to form relationships and connections.
Life Transitions and Trauma
Trauma can impact how individuals cope with life transitions. Life transitions, such as moving to a new city, starting a new job, or getting married, can be stressful for anyone. However, individuals with a history of traumatic experiences may struggle to cope with these changes due to the significant impact that trauma can have on their ability to form relationships and regulate emotions.