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Individual & Career Counseling:
$85.00–95.00/ Session
Payment is required at the beginning of each session, unless special arrangements are made in advance.

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“Trust yourself. You know more than you think you do.”
—Benjamin Spock

Is a harmful event being relived? Irritability and anger issues creeping into your relationships? Having trouble concentrating? These are three warning signs of trauma or posttraumatic stress disorder. 

Trauma causes feelings of helplessness, weakens a sense of being, and reduces the ability to feel emotions. Not dealing with the trauma could lead to anxiety or depression, but trauma therapy and counseling can help most people reduce symptoms and begin living a healthy life.

 If you are looking for a trauma or PTSD therapist in the Lake Oswego, OR area, I can help.

TRAUMA THERAPY

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1. Individual
2. Couples
3. Marriage
4. Premarital
5. Anxiety
6. Depression

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SERVING CLIENTS IN THE TIGARD, WASHINGTON COUNTY, AND PORTLAND AREA

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Typical session length is 50 minutes. Pillars of Hope Counseling also offers 90 minute sessions for couples who may need longer times. Family sessions are 90 minutes.

Rates

  • Easily frightened of startled.
  • Constantly being on guard or overly watchful of surroundings
  • Inability to concentrate
  • Poor quality sleep
  • Mood Swings
  • Avoidance of people, places or things
  • Overwhelming fear
  • Guilt or shame
  • Detachment of withdrawing from people
  • Changes in eating habits

Warning Signs of Trauma

According to the American Psychological Association, trauma is a mental health concern triggered by a horrible event such as an accident, harm, domestic violence, or a natural disaster. The events of 9/11 and the Pandemic are two examples of disasters that can and have caused trauma for many people. Being in a terrible car crash, injury from playing sports, or being lost in the woods are examples of accidents that often lead to trauma. Being the victim of domestic violence can have long-term debilitating results.

Feeling some shock or unrest after a disaster or accident is perfectly normal. Not wanting to drive down the street where an accident occurred for a few months is normal. Experiencing elevated heart rate to the point of having to pull off the street and having someone come and pick you up is good example of trauma. This incident would indicate persistent and intense trauma that needs professional help to overcome.

Defining Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

  • Flashbacks or reliving the event as if it was happening now
  • Seeing repetitive distressing images
  • Physical sensations such as sweating or nausea
  • Constant automatic negative thoughts
  • Emotional numbing
  • Hyperarousal (Being constantly on edge)
  • Irritability and angry outbursts

Warning Signs of PTSD

According to SAMHSA  61% of men and 51% of women have coped with a traumatic event in their lifetime.

Trauma causes feelings of helplessness, weakens a sense of being, and reduces the ability to feel emotions. Immediate emotions of trauma include shock and denial. Not dealing with the trauma could lead to anxiety or depression because the person is blocking their feelings. Trauma therapy and counseling can help most people reduce symptoms and begin living a healthy life.

 Someone dealing with trauma may experience moments of anxiety or angst regarding the event but can find ways to make it through the day. Studies indicate that women are more likely to develop PTSD than men.
The main difference between Trauma and PTSD is that trauma occurs from experiencing or being involved in a life-threatening situation. A hurt forms and the above symptoms can appear. Trauma is an emotional response to the event. PTSD follows trauma and it is considered a mental health concern because it is far more intrusive, last longer, and emotionally paralyses the individual. 

A person dealing with posttraumatic stress disorder is constantly reliving the event and will often see and hear the events unfolding now even if the event took place years prior. They are unable to cope through the day.

Difference Between Trauma and PTSD

Narrative Therapy

Exposure Therapy

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy

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It focuses on awareness of thoughts and beliefs. CBT focuses on changing negative thought patterns by turning them into positive thought patterns. Knowing what beliefs, a person has about the event or situation allows the therapist to help the person reframe the event in a healthy way, thus helping the person reduce anxious feelings about the trauma. Often times people coping with trauma feel like everyone sees them as a victim who can’t manage their emotions. CBT helps trauma survivors leave the traumatic concern in the past and live in the present. For more info on CBT check out The Center for Treatment of Anxiety and Mood Disorders.

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

This tool helps people identify triggers connected to the event. Once the triggers are known, the client slowly begins to face their fear. An example of this tool occurs when a client who was hit at a specific street corner, in session with the therapist, pictures the street corner. When they are able to do this with little fear, they would visit the street corner. Lastly, they would drive through the street corner. To learn more about exposure therapy review .

Exposure Therapy

Separates the person from the issue. It helps people see the concern differently because it allows for different stories to be told and received. Some tools include journaling and letter writing. When a victim writes a letter to the situation or abuser, they become stronger because the abuser becomes powerless. Get more information about narrative therapy.

Narrative Therapy

How to Treat Trauma

From being exposed to a series of difficult personal situations, such as car accident, being robbed, and being fired. This happens in a specific time frame or place.

Complex Trauma

Occurs many times, such as domestic abuse.

Chronic Trauma

Comes from one single event, such as being in a car accident.

Acute Trauma

Comes from one single event, such as being in a car accident.

Acute Trauma

Occurs many times, such as domestic abuse.

Chronic Trauma

From being exposed to a series of difficult personal situations, such as car accident, being robbed, and being fired. This happens in a specific time frame or place.

Complex Trauma

Three Types of Trauma

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Deciding to get counseling is a brave thing to do. To learn more or start the process, request an appointment, email me, or text or call directly at 503-841-2142. 

Next Steps

Short-term therapy lasts for a few sessions and is usually done right after the traumatic event. It helps people get over the initial shock of the situation. Long-term therapy could last several years and generally involves rewriting the narrative of the situation and framing it into a less scary event.

Kinds of Trauma Therapy

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Please do not provide confidential information about health or mental health conditions when communicating through these methods.

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