How does therapy help people overcome complex PTSD?

Suffering post a traumatic event is as devastating as the event itself. People who have gone through such an incident may experience mental and emotional disturbances. Things are just not the same as they used to be after the event. You may not be able to perceive things positively and live life as you did before.

Post-event trauma may include flashbacks, anxieties, and fears that may continue to affect your ability to function daily, which are common signs of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

This psychological condition can affect people from different walks of life. Fortunately, a complex PTSD Therapist in New York can help! Here are the therapies that have an extensive evidence base and are trauma-focused, which means they directly address memories of the traumatic event.

1.   Cognitive behavioral therapy

CBT, or cognitive behavioral therapy, focuses on an individual's feelings, thoughts, and behaviors. This therapy focuses on targeting current problems and symptoms and concentrating on changing behaviors, ideas, and feelings that may cause difficulties in functioning. If you have PTSD, the cognitive behavioral therapist will encourage you to reassess your thinking patterns and assumptions. The assessment will help determine unhealthy mental patterns or distortions, like over-generalizing bad outcomes and always expecting catastrophic situations.

2.   Prolonged exposure

Therapists employ prolonged exposure techniques to help patients gradually confront their trauma-related emotions, memories, and circumstances. Throughout this process, individuals come to understand that these triggers are not inherently dangerous and do not require suppression or avoidance.

Psychoeducation, while often anxiety-inducing for most patients, is carefully conducted by therapists to create a secure environment where individuals can openly acknowledge and address distressing stimuli. The duration of prolonged exposure therapy typically spans around three months, involving weekly individual sessions.

3.   Narrative exposure therapy

This therapy modality enables patients to construct a cohesive life narrative that helps them make sense of their traumatic experiences. It is frequently utilized in the treatment of trauma-related disorders, particularly among individuals who have undergone multiple or complex traumas influenced by cultural, political, or social factors.

Narrative exposure therapy aims to provide a contextual framework for the interconnected network of emotional, cognitive, and sensory memories associated with a patient's trauma. By expressing their narrative in a coherent autobiographical manner, individuals can gain a deeper understanding of the traumatic events they have endured.

 Next step

Individuals grappling with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) often experience prolonged difficulties if they do not receive effective intervention. In such cases, seeking professional help from therapists is not only beneficial but also crucial. Through trauma Centers and Trauma Sensitive Yoga Practice, and the approaches mentioned above, people with PTSD can learn to manage their symptoms, address their trauma and live a happier life.