Trauma and Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in Seattle, WA

We understand how exhausting and isolating it can be to live with PTSD. Memories, sensations, and everyday situations can trigger intense anxiety or distress, even when you and your loved ones are not in danger. Often, you may not even realize that symptoms you are experiencing are actually related to the trauma you have experienced.

What are PTSD/trauma symptoms?

• irritability

• difficulty sleeping or bad dreams

• startling easily

• feeling down or depressed

• anxiety especially about trust and safety

• sexual difficulties

• avoiding reminders of what you experienced

• difficulties in relationships, and more

Finding relief from PTSD symptoms:

With the right support, it’s possible to reduce fear, rebuild trust in yourself and others, and feel more grounded in the present. In treatment, we focus on working collaboratively to help you face the things that feel unsafe or out of control, at a pace that feels manageable.

You probably would prefer to leave these memories in the past and never have to talk about or think about them again. If we could just push our memories away and not have them negatively impact us, we wouldn’t need therapy to help heal from trauma. Sometimes people get very good at suppressing these thoughts or images but then the memories pop up and surprise them when they see something that reminds them of their experience (or for no reason at all).

It’s like when you try to hold a beach ball underwater and because you are pushing it down, it is even more likely to pop up.

In therapy for posttraumatic stress, we purposefully take the beach ball out of the water and look at it. We hold it gently and turn it around to see all the sides. Only then can we let it float behind us while we are free to swim forward. It still follows you along with all of your memories from your past but it no longer has power over you and you can even forget about it most of the time as you experience your life in the present.

Who is a good fit for PTSD treatment?

Because of our extensive experience in this area we have worked with people who have experienced a wide variety of types of traumatic experiences including sudden loss, sexual and physical assault and abuse, traumatic birth, combat and other military and war related experiences, motor vehicle and other accidents, experiences as a first responder, intimate partner violence, medical events, natural disasters, and vicarious trauma. Many people have experienced more than one traumatic event. This is a common experience for those who come to therapy.

What types of trauma therapy do we use?

We offer Prolonged Exposure therapy and Cognitive Processing Therapy to treat posttraumatic stress disorder. We use a supportive, evidence-based approach that helps people recover from the lasting impact of trauma.