If you have experienced a traumatic event, you may continue to feel its emotional, mental, and physical effects long after the danger has passed. Trauma can result from a single event, such as a serious accident, physical or sexual assault, or military combat, but it can also develop from ongoing or repeated distressing experiences, particularly during childhood or within important relationships. If you are living with PTSD, you may find yourself avoiding people, places, conversations, or situations that remind you of what happened. Although avoidance can provide temporary relief, it often keeps the trauma from being fully processed and can limit your life in various ways. PTSD can make it difficult to concentrate at work, leading to absenteeism or decreased productivity. It can damage your relationships through mistrust, irritability, isolation, and emotional withdrawal. You may notice your interest waning in activities you once enjoyed, and you may experience disruption in healthy routines such as sleep and exercise. Put simply, life with PTSD tends to feel very restricted and taxing.

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Symptoms That May Indicate Posttraumatic Stress Include:

• Intrusive memories of the traumatic event(s)

• Distressing nightmares related to the trauma

• Flashbacks 

• Intense emotional distress when reminded of the trauma

• Physical reactions to trauma reminders (e.g., racing heart)

• Avoiding places, people, or conversations related to the trauma

• Avoidance of thoughts, feelings, or memories related to the trauma

• Persistent feelings of guilt, shame, or self-blame

• Emotional numbness or difficulty experiencing positive emotions

• Detachment from others or feelings of isolation

• Loss of interest in previously enjoyable activities

• Hypervigilance or feeling constantly "on guard" in crowds or unfamiliar settings

• Persistent, negative beliefs

• Difficulty concentrating

• Sleep disturbances or insomnia

• Irritability, anger, or emotional outbursts

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I am a clinical psychologist with extensive experience helping individuals overcome the effects of trauma. I have experience treating PTSD caused by physical assault, sexual assault, military combat, childhood physical abuse, and childhood sexual abuse, as well other traumatic events. I have advanced training and extensive experience using gold-standard evidence-based therapies for trauma, including Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE). These therapies address the core issues that maintain PTSD, which are misplaced guilt and shame about the event, as well as avoidance of emotions and situations associated with the event. I will work collaboratively with you to determine a treatment approach that fits your needs, and I will apply the treatment at a pace that works for you. Trauma-focused therapy can be truly life-changing, allowing you to change unhealthy perceptions about the trauma, process natural emotions, and alter your behavior in the service of creating a more meaningful life!