TRAUMA COUNSELING

Trauma can happen in an instant when everything suddenly changes. Or it can result from years of stress or abuse.

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Maybe you are going about your day and the unthinkable happens – a car runs a red light and hits your vehicle, causing a devastating accident. Your car is totaled and you are injured, resulting in a lengthy hospitalization. While your body heals, you have nightmares about the accident. You feel irritable and detached from your loved ones. The thought of getting behind the wheel again fills you with dread. You are suffering from post-traumatic stress.

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Perhaps you or a loved one has experienced long-term abuse by a family member, friend, or caregiver. Maybe you or someone you love struggles after having served in combat in the military. Whether it is a single traumatic event, such as an automobile accident or an assault, or the result of repeated trauma stemming from repeated sexual abuse or exposure to the violence of war, the emotional impact of trauma can endure for a lifetime.

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Post-traumatic stress can be insidious and manifest in the most unexpected places, leaving you with a feeling of powerlessness and worse, hopelessness. But it doesn't have to be this way. The Counseling Center of Florence has specialists trained to empower victims of trauma to confront and manage post-traumatic stress. Our providers can teach you techniques for managing stress so you can take back control and live your life.

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Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms

There is a broad range of signs and symptoms for post-traumatic stress, and they may vary between individuals. Signs and symptoms can include:

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  RE-EXPERIENCING SYMPTOMS

• Flashbacks or reliving the trauma with physical reactions such as increased heart rate and breathing

• Intrusive/unwanted thoughts

• Nightmares

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  AVOIDANCE

• Refraining from going near places, items, and events that trigger thoughts or memories of the trauma

• Avoid thoughts or emotions connected to the traumatic event

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  NEGATIVE CHANGES IN COGNITION AND MOOD

• Difficulty with memory, including recalling details of the traumatic event

• Negative self-image or pessimistic, critical worldview

• Hopeless outlook for the future

• Challenges maintaining close relationships

• Emotional numbness

• Feeling disconnected from friends and family

• Distorted emotions, including guilt and blame

• Loss of interest in enjoyable activities and hobbies

• Difficulty experiencing positive mood

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  HYPERAROUSAL SYMPTOMS

• Exaggerated startle response

• Feeling nervous or tense

• Sleep disturbances and irritable mood/angry outbursts

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If you or a loved one is struggling following a trauma and are ready to seek help, contact the professionals at The Counseling Center of Florence to speak with a trauma specialist and begin developing the beliefs and skills that make a better quality of life possible.  You don't have to be defined by your trauma – call today.