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PTSD/Trauma

People often say that living with trauma feels like constantly being in danger.

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You might be feeling tense or irritable. You might feel like you have to pay a lot of attention to what is going on around you to feel safe. You might feel really numb and detached from family and friends. 

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These effects of trauma might feel miserable and permanent but they don't have to be. You can get better, recover

Recovering from 
PTSD

The best treatments for PTSD are trauma-focused to help you process/work through your trauma experience(s). Two of the most effective treatments for PTSD are Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). They are usually 12-15 sessions, after the initial therapy sessions. Many studies have shown that over 80% of individuals with PTSD who engage in one of these two treatments experience improvements in their PTSD symptoms and over 40% no longer have PTSD, meaning they fully recover. Recovery from trauma can be possible!

 

Sometimes people with PTSD experience other symptoms that start around the same time, like panic attacks or depression. These symptoms often resolve with treatment. 

 

Both treatments - PE and CPT - involve going through your trauma experience in a way that is productive to help you process (or "digest") it. You might think this sounds challenging or scary, since you have likely been avoiding talking about and thinking about your trauma. Some find the therapy challenging at first, and then it gets much easier and they start to feel better. I've worked with many Veterans and civilians who have PTSD and helped them through the process. Please click below for more details about each. 

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Prolonged Exposure (PE)

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Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

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*Go back to Therapy Services.

Dr. Annie Bollini        Licensed Psychologist        202-696-2277        dr.anniebollini@gmail.com
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