To learn more about PTSD, visit the National Center for PTSD.

Some individuals who have experienced trauma have difficulty sitting in confined spaces such as a classroom.  Others become claustrophobic or overwhelmed being around large groups of people or crowds.  Imagine what it’s like in middle or high school when the bell rings – hallways are flooded with hundreds of kids at once.  The authoritarian nature of teachers and administrators can be intimidating and daunting, especially to those who have experienced trauma at the hands of their parents or other trusted person in a position of power.  Or consider the bullying side of the school and how that can impact a child.

If you have experienced trauma and are worried about returning to school or college, here are some helpful tips to keep in mind:

1.) Participate in therapy – whether it be an individual, group, or both.  A therapist can help you learn more about your symptoms and how to cope in a healthy way, as well as develop strategies to begin to heal from your past trauma(s).

2.) Take a break – sometimes you need to take a trip to the bathroom or step out.  That’s okay, as long as you go back and that you’re not avoiding certain triggers and are working on confronting your fears.

3.) Understand how your PTSD affects you – everyone is different.  Despite being diagnosed with PTSD, try to learn as much as you can about what your triggers are if there are any patterns to your stress and anxiety, and how to successfully cope with the resulting anxiety.  The more you know, the more empowered you can be.

4.) If you feel comfortable and safe, discuss any concerns you have with your teacher or professor.  Sometimes the content of the class itself can be triggering and you might need extra time, or maybe you’re having difficulty even attending the class.  Sometimes your teacher or professor can offer extra help or time whenever possible.  Generally speaking, the more communication, the better.

5.) If you feel overwhelmed, break up your work into smaller, more manageable steps or pieces.  If we think of all the work we have to do, we can start to feel overwhelmed, and then it begins to feel impossible.  One small thing at a time.

6.) Consider other options.  If you’re having trouble with the route to school or the time a class is being offered, try to think ahead to see if the class is offered at another time or maybe even online.  Do what you can, but again, try not to make avoidance part of your routine as it can exacerbate symptoms of PTSD or anxiety.

If you are Going Back to School with PTSD, remember you are not alone.  Feel free to call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to schedule an intake with an experienced clinician that can help you begin to heal.

The post Going Back to School with PTSD first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Going Back to School with PTSD appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

According to the U.S. Children’s Bureau (2010), approximately 3 million children experience some form of maltreatment every year.  The American Professional Society on the Abuse of Children defines psychological maltreatment as “a repeated pattern of caregiver behavior or a serious incident that transmits to the child that s/he is worthless, flawed, unloved, unwanted, endangered, or only of value in meeting another’s needs.”  In other words, children grow up feeling worthless, unworthy of love and affection, invisible, abandoned, and often times there only to serve others.  Boundaries are crossed and violated, leading to difficulties in relationships and self-care for years to come.

Psychological maltreatment results in such behaviors in youth as frequent inattention, aggression, noncompliance, hyperactivity, conduct problems, and delinquency (Monitor on Psychology, 2015).  Children and adults often present with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) as well.

Not long ago, I wrote another blog about the ACE study (Adverse Childhood Experiences).  This showed that despite children experiencing things such as parental addiction, physical abuse, sexual abuse, or community violence, resiliency was strongly predicted by the presence of Safe, Stable, Nurturing Relationships.  Sometimes it’s just one adult in that child’s life, sometimes many over the course of their childhood and adolescence.

So what does this mean?  There’s so much to this issue that can’t be written in such a short blog.  But the next time you’re wondering about why a child is acting out, “ADHD”, or constantly needing discipline at school or in the home, perhaps it would be helpful instead to wonder what happened to them, instead of what’s wrong with them?

If you or someone you love has been impacted by psychological maltreatment, therapy can assist you to work through the negative core beliefs and live a meaningful life.  The first step is finding the right therapist.  Call Specialized Therapy Associates at 201-488-6678 to speak with an intake specialist to get matched with someone who is right for you.  After all, you’re worth it.

The post The Psychological Maltreatment of Children first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post The Psychological Maltreatment of Children appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

Despite such increased awareness, there is still much to be learned about sexual assault and abuse.  The common myths that we have all come to know about have permeated our culture and have proven difficult to change.  Shockingly, despite federal reforms, colleges and universities across this country have largely avoided proper reporting, investigation, and management of sexual assault cases.  This helps contribute to this culture of victim-blaming, shaming, and avoidance of how to adequately address sexual assault amongst this population.

I won’t claim to be able to address this issue as a whole in under 400 words in a blog, but what I can do is help to educate about the reality of sexual assault and how it can impact a person on many levels.  Often the statistics of 1 in 4 and 1 in 5 are thrown around and based on the studies and research that have been conducted, these numbers are accurate.  For boys under the age of 18, we know that 1 in 6 has experienced sexual abuse.  Men can and are sexually assaulted as adults.  Most often, perpetrators are someone the victim knows and trusts – a friend, date, relative, co-worker, boss, spouse, or intimate partner.  Because of this relationship, it often creates a barrier to reporting, thus delaying assistance or treatment at the time of crisis.

Survivors of sexual assault and abuse experience a myriad of reactions, including shame, self-blame, guilt, isolation, problems in relationships, symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), addiction, eating disorders, and mental illness, amongst others.  In the immediacy of a sexual assault, survivors sometimes dissociate, or if intoxicated in any way, can forget details of the trauma altogether.  Trying to remember a sexual assault when alcohol or drugs are involved is like writing bits of memory on post-it notes with invisible ink, scattering them about, and then trying to put them back together in chronological order.  This is a task that sometimes is virtually impossible.

Despite how devastating sexual trauma can be, there is hope for healing.  Healing can be difficult and take a lot of time – but many who have gone through this process they will often tell you that it is worth it.  Healing also cannot take place in isolation – whether a person decides to join a support group for survivors, obtain information and support online, or rely on supportive friends or family – this is a journey.

If you are a survivor, or a loved one of a survivor and would like to begin your own journey in the healing process, feel free to call our intake department at 201-488-6678 to discuss treatment options with a qualified, experienced therapist at Specialized Therapy Associates.

The post Sexual Assault: The Reality of It first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Sexual Assault: The Reality of It appeared first on Specialized Therapy.

George Carlin once joked that the evolution of the term Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) removed the impact of the condition, essentially meaning the more syllables and words we add, the more detached from the issue we become.  To a certain degree, he was right, however what we have now understood as PTSD has come a long way in both our understanding and in the treatment of trauma.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can result when a person has experienced an event or series of events that involved extreme stress, fear, sexual assault, or threat of death or serious injury.  Often this trauma overwhelms a person, causing them to feel helpless and powerless.  Additionally, those of us who are first responders or others who are exposed to the details and stories of trauma can also be impacted.  Physiologically, our bodies also experience a reaction to exposure to extreme stress, causing a fight, flight, or freeze response.  Taken together, it can be difficult to understand not only the traumatic event but also our reactions and recovery from them.

PTSD is a diagnosis given to individuals who meet criteria that includes: avoidance and numbing, flashbacks, hyperarousal, dissociation, changes in beliefs about self and the world, and intrusive thoughts and memories such as nightmares.  Psychotherapy, medication, and other treatments can significantly help someone dealing with the aftermath of a trauma.  However, it is also important to remember that healing from trauma takes time.  When a person has experienced trauma at the hands of someone they know and trust, additional complications can occur especially in terms of our functioning in relationships.

Individual, group, family, and even couples therapy can help a survivor and those around them understand, process, and heal from trauma to help form new connections and create a life where they can now thrive.  For more information on how we can help you or someone you care about, please call Specialized Therapy Associates 201-488-6678.

The post Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Hurting to Healing first appeared on Specialized Therapy.

The post Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Hurting to Healing appeared first on Specialized Therapy.