Counseling for Trauma

Trauma is sadly something many of us will experience during our lifetime, and recovering from it is easier for some than it is for others. If you’ve been affected by a traumatic event – either recent or in the past – you may be experiencing some, or several, of the following symptoms as listed in the DSM-5 (a diagnostic tool published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and used by psychotherapists and other professions):

Avoidance symptoms

• You may avoid going near certain places or hearing certain sounds that remind you of the painful event

Re-experiencing symptoms

• Individuals may experience intrusive thoughts, nightmares or distressing flashbacks

Hyperarousal symptoms

• You may feel angry, irritable and hypervigilant
• You might be aggressive or display unusually reckless behavior
• Your sleep patterns may also be disturbed

Negative mood and cognition symptoms

• Individuals may no longer find certain activities enjoyable, or struggle to remember details of the traumatic event

If you’ve been affected by a traumatic event and are struggling to heal from the experience, psychotherapy could help.