Do you ever feel like your past is following you around? I’m not talking spooky ghost stuff, but sometimes the skeletons in our closet try to rattle us. Maybe it was recent or maybe something that happened a long time ago but it still feels like we’re living in a horror film.

What are the signs of PTSD?

Recurring thoughts, dreams, or flashbacks related to a traumatic event are a few signs of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Other symptoms may be harder to detect such as anxiety, hypervigilance, negative moods, loss of interest, or loss of sleep or appetite. Often people are experiencing these symptoms without realizing how they could be connected to trauma they’ve experienced.

PTSD can happen after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. It can result from ongoing exposure to distressing situations. PTSD can be related to attachment disruption such as parents separating during childhood. There are many ways that people experience trauma.

Why is the trauma still bothering me?

When you go through a safe, normal day your brain processes and tucks away that information. However when a traumatic event occurs, sometimes our brain gets stuck. What happened doesn’t make sense to our brains so it becomes difficult to store that information. That’s often where PTSD occurs. The traumatic event or information stays at the forefront of our brain and keeps replaying. Even if we are now in a safe environment, we may keep experiencing “fight, flight or freeze” reactions to triggers.

How can I deal with my PTSD?

We approach PTSD gently, slowly, from a relaxed place. If you’ve been living with PTSD for some time you know that it doesn’t just go away on its own. This is where having professional assistance can be useful. A mental health therapist can guide you through researched techniques that may help you ‘unstick’ your brain. Your practitioner may use methods such as EMDR, Somatic Experiencing, IFS, or Narrative Therapy to help you process trauma.

The key is to not avoid the trauma but to address it in the right way. If you’ve been dealing with trauma, I’m here to help. You get to drive the bus—we will move at your pace and comfort level. You can book an appointment and we can discuss which treatment options may be best for you.

Tamari is a Registered Psychotherapist at Lindsay Tsang & Associates. To book with Tamari Thompson-Kraft you can use our online booking or call our 24/7 receptionist at 705-300-0077.

Photo by Tanya Trofymchuk on Unsplash