Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Heal the Wounds of Trauma and PTSD: Specialized Therapy Services in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Telehealth
Understanding Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) at Philadelphia Based Center
Trauma can have a profound effect on people’s lives. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) develops when an individual has difficulty recovering after experiencing or witnessing traumatic events. This condition can lead to significant emotional distress and impairment in daily functioning. About 7 to 8% of people will experience PTSD at some point in their lives, demonstrating a broad impact across various demographics. Fortunately, evidence-based PTSD therapies, like cognitive processing therapy (CPT) and prolonged exposure (PE) therapy, can make a profound difference in the lives of sufferers.
The Impact of PTSD and Trauma on Daily Life
PTSD and trauma can affect every aspect of life, leading to challenges in personal relationships, professional environments, and social activities. Symptoms often include intense and unwanted memories, emotional or physical reactions to reminders of trauma, and severe anxiety that can disrupt normal activities. Our Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy in Philadelphia is dedicated to helping individuals effectively reduce the impact of these symptoms and overcome the effects of PTSD and trauma.
Prevalence and Traumatic Events That Can Lead to PTSD
Traumatic events that can lead to PTSD are numerous and varied. They can include, but are not limited to, experiences of violence such as physical assault, mugging, robbery, car accidents, rape, or other severe physical violence, experiences of war, witnessing death or severe injury, natural disasters, and other acute stress situations. The likelihood of developing PTSD increases with the severity of the trauma and the individual’s proximity to the event.
Symptoms and Diagnosis of PTSD
PTSD symptoms are organized into four clusters according to DSM-5. Not everyone who experiences trauma will have a need for therapy for PTSD, but treatment may be warranted when symptoms continue to cause an individual distress and interfere with their lives across months or years. Diagnosis is typically made by a clinical psychologist or psychiatrist through a detailed assessment of symptoms and their impact on life.
- Intrusion or re-experiencing symptoms: Recurrent, involuntary, and intrusive distressing memories of the traumatic event(s), traumatic nightmares, dissociative reactions such as flashbacks, and intense or prolonged distress after exposure to traumatic reminders.
- Avoidance: Persistent efforts to avoid distressing memories, thoughts, or feelings about or closely associated with the traumatic event(s) and external reminders (people, places, conversations, activities, objects, situations).
- Negative alterations in cognition and mood: Inability to remember key aspects of the traumatic event, persistent and exaggerated negative beliefs or expectations about oneself, others, or the world, difficulty trusting others, patterns of thinking about the cause or consequences of the event that lead to blaming oneself or others, persistent negative emotional states like guilt, shame or anger, and feelings of detachment or estrangement from others.
- Alterations in arousal and reactivity: Marked alterations in arousal and reactivity associated with the traumatic event(s), including irritable behavior and angry outbursts, reckless or self-destructive behavior, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, problems with concentration, and sleep disturbance.
Specialized Therapies for Trauma and PTSD in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Beyond
Some of the most effective treatments for PTSD and trauma are described below. While a variety of treatments can help with trauma and PTSD, many of the therapies that tend to be most helpful for treating PTSD are trauma-focused therapies, which focus specifically on the memory of the traumatic events or their meaning. Several of these effective therapies are available at our Center, both to residents of Pennsylvania and to residents of other states by video telehealth. These specialized therapies and services are tailored to meet the unique needs of individuals with PTSD, ensuring comprehensive care that addresses both the psychological and physiological aspects of the disorder.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
General CBT can be beneficial for some people who have experienced trauma. But specific modalities like Prolonged Exposure (PE), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT) tend to be particularly effective for treating PTSD.
Prolonged exposure (PE)
This therapy involves gradually exposing patients to trauma-related memories and stimuli with the goal of reducing their power to cause distress. The controlled exposure helps patients process the trauma and reduce their avoidance. These treatment experience can also powerfully reduce the effects of traumatic memories on everyday life and powerfully transform the ways people think and feel about themselves and the world.
Cognitive processing therapy (CPT)
CPT helps patients learn how to modify and challenge unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma, its causes, and its effects. It focuses on how to reframe and understand traumatic events and their meaning in a way that reduces ongoing distress. Participates also look at and reevaluate their beliefs about issues like self-esteem, safety, trust, control, and intimacy, in ways that can promote lasting healing.
Trauma-focused CBT (TF-CBT)
Specifically designed for individuals who have experienced trauma, including children and teens, TF-CBT integrates techniques from cognitive and behavioral therapies to address the complex needs of trauma survivors.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR helps process and integrate traumatic memories, aiding significantly in cases of PTSD. Though not offered directly at our center, we can refer to qualified professionals who provide this therapy.
Family Involvement
We encourage family involvement in treatment to enhance recovery and provide a supportive environment for our patients.
Medication Management
SSRIs like sertraline, paroxetine, and fluoxetine, the SNRI venlafaxine, and other medications, can be useful in managing symptoms. Trauma experts tend to see medications as playing a supportive role in the treatment of PTSD in many cases, while evidence-based trauma-focused therapies like PE, CPT, TF-CBT, and EMDR are generally considered the front-line treatments. While our Center does not prescribe medication, we coordinate with healthcare providers who specialize in these treatments.
Complex PTSD
Complex PTSD, often stemming from extended exposure to traumatic circumstances without the possibility of escape, includes symptoms beyond standard PTSD criteria. These may include profound emotional dysregulation, persistent negative self-view, and difficulties in interpersonal relationships. Difficulties often overlap with those observed in borderline personality disorder. Therapies address these broader impacts, recognizing the deep-seated nature of the trauma.
Trauma and PTSD in Children and Teenagers
Children and teenagers can experience trauma, which often manifests differently than it does in adults. For instance, younger children might show changes in behavior or mood, while teenagers may exhibit signs like anxiety or withdrawal. Specialized therapies such as Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for younger children and adolescents and Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy for adolescents are effective in helping them manage and overcome these challenges.
We are dedicated to supporting young ones in their recovery from trauma. For more information on how we can assist, please visit our Parents and Families page.
Take the Next Step: Explore Our Trauma and PTSD Services in Philadelphia
Trauma and PTSD can deeply impact lives, but with the right support and proven therapies for PTSD like prolonged exposure and cognitive processing therapy, individuals can recover and thrive. At the Philadelphia Center for Anxiety, OCD, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, we are committed to empowering individuals dealing with trauma, PTSD, and other anxiety-related and obsessive-compulsive disorders through proven, personalized treatment plans.
Located in Philadelphia, our center is easily accessible to residents in Cherry Hill, Ardmore, the Main Line, Chestnut Hill, King of Prussia, and beyond. We also offer telehealth services to residents of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and other states, making our expert care more accessible to those who need it.
Explore our resources on PTSD and anxiety and contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive trauma and PTSD services or to schedule an initial consultation. We are here to help you start your journey to recovery and a better quality of life.
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Proud member of:
Our practice is honored to serve as the Philadelphia regional clinic and proud to be a board member of the National Social Anxiety Center (NSAC). NSAC is committed to offering the highest quality, evidence-based anxiety therapy services for social anxiety and related conditions to those in need. We actively contribute to this mission through research, collaboration, dissemination to clinicians, and public education. For more information, please visit NSAC here.
