Chapter 1: An Introduction to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) for Therapy Professionals 2 CEUs
By: Claudia Phillips, LMT Learning outcomes
Analyze the phenomena of dissociation and flashbacks in individuals with PTSD, exploring their prevalence, triggers, and implications for therapy professionals. Explore various therapeutic approaches as modalities for addressing PTSD symptoms to improve patients’ functional, emotional and occupational outcomes.
After completing this course, the learner will be able to: Analyze the concept and history of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including its origins, development as a diagnostic category, and historical contexts. Differentiate the symptoms of PTSD, including emotional, cognitive, behavioral, and physical, to recognize potential signs in clients. Course overview Gain a comprehensive understanding of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its impact on clients in therapy settings. Explore the history, symptoms, and therapeutic approaches associated with PTSD, including dissociation,
flashbacks, and various modalities such as somatic therapies and trauma touch therapy. By the end of this course, participants will be equipped to recognize, understand, and effectively support clients affected by PTSD.
INTRODUCTION
trauma, such as sexual assault (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2023a). Individuals may show many symptoms of PTSD or none at all. Since touch can reactivate trauma, therapists should be aware that the condition exists. There are particular interventions, specifically within manual therapy, that can be effective individuals with PTSD. Working with these patients requires special training and a partnership with a mental health professional who can guide the process. This course provides therapists with valuable insight on how to work with this special population, so that you are more capable of recognizing symptoms and have a better understanding of trauma. It aims to give therapists confidence and compassion when planning an appropriate treatment plan for the client. of the event, and/or feel emotionally cut off from others or without feelings. Some traumatic events causing PTSD include: ● Invasive surgery or medical procedures. ● Giving birth. ● Death of loved ones. ● Experiencing or witnessing an accident, violent or sexual crime, or abuse. ● War/combat. ● Imprisonment or torture. ● Natural disasters, such as earthquakes or floods. PTSD is diagnosed when there has been exposure to extreme stress, resulting in a set of symptoms that persist for more than a month but can continue for much longer periods. In some cases, referred to as “delayed PTSD,” symptoms do not appear until several months, or even years, later. This may be more likely to happen on the anniversary of the traumatic event or if another trauma is experienced, especially if it reminds the person of the original event. Therapists have begun to talk about “complex PTSD,” where the person has been exposed to a series of repeated stressors rather than a single one—for example, previous (childhood) trauma plus being attacked (Bonde et al., 2022).
As a healthcare professional, there is a possibility that you will come across patients who have experienced trauma. Trauma is defined by the Oxford dictionary as a deeply distressing or disturbing experience (Oxford Languages, n.d.). Many think of people who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder typically as veterans, abuse survivors, and so on. In reality, the number of people who are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is far greater and from more varied sources of trauma than the stereotypical causes. This means you are more likely to encounter clients with this condition in your practice. Approximately 6% of the population in the United States will experience PTSD in their lifetime. Women on average will have a higher change of developing PTSD then men (8% of women compared to 4% in men) due to their increased chance of exposure to What is post traumatic stress disorder? Post-traumatic stress disorder is a mental health condition resulting from trauma in one’s life. Today we hear the word trauma used more frequently. Trauma can occur from any physically or emotionally distressing or disturbing experience. Traumatic incidents can also be described as terrorizing, degrading, and visually horrible. People can be traumatized at any age. This disorder can result immediately after a trauma or can develop in a variety of timelines following trauma. Therefore, symptoms may begin immediately after the stressful event, or there may be a delay of months or years before the symptoms begin. In most cases, symptoms occur for about a month after the stressful event and then subside for a period. Conditions or symptoms occurring within one month after the event are referred to as acute stress disorder. After that month, there may be a period or periods of remission, as well as the return of symptoms that can continue for months or years. Most people recover from trauma within a few weeks. However, 20-30% of people exposed to trauma develop the range of symptoms referred to by psychologists as PTSD (Al Jowf et al., 2022). This diagnosis applies when stress symptoms do not disappear after a month or so. Individuals may experience nightmares or difficulty sleeping, feel hyper- alert and unable to relax, find themselves with memories
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Book Code: MLA1225
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