Many of us needing trauma and PTSD therapy mistake our symptoms for general depression and/or anxiety. Unfortunately, many people get misdiagnosed and live with PTSD symptoms for years before receiving the appropriate care. Below are some common symptoms related to trauma and PTSD which one should seek a trained trauma specialist.

Some common trauma symptoms:

• Nightmares, flashbacks or intrusive thoughts about painful past events that are frequent and intense enough to disturb your mental state

• Propensity to isolate or restrict activities to feel safe to the extent that normal activities like shopping, socializing, etc are avoided, guarded and negatively impacted

• Profound mistrust in others and not recognizing who is safe or not which can lead to relationship issues in personal and work settings

• Triggering events in everyday life that cause emotional and physical reactions which on the surface would seem like benign everyday happenings such as an extreme startle response to a loud noise, panic attack when approaching an airline gate for a flight, etc…

It isn’t necessary for one to have all these symptoms or full criteria for PTSD to benefit from trauma therapy.  Just having some of these symptoms can make life difficult.

When examining past traumatic events, I caution clients not to judge or compare to others’ experiences.  Some people say, “my trauma isn’t nearly as bad as others…” but I explain that the impact of trauma is shaped by the circumstances at the time, what their support system looked like, and many other factors so judging or stacking traumas against each other isn’t helpful. When in doubt, schedule an initial consultation or intake with a trauma therapy.

How does one seek a trained trauma and PTSD therapist? Mental health therapists can get certified in trauma therapy and other specific modalities such as EMDR which requires them to do specialized training and a certain amount of continuing education to keep up specialized skills and techniques. For example, I am certified as a trauma specialist with the AZ Trauma Institute and also certified in EMDR with EMDRIA.  If you would like to learn more, please contact me.