Therapy for Trauma and PTSD

Have you survived a frightening, disturbing, or life-altering event? Were you or a loved on affected by COVID-19 or another severe medical issue? Do memories of what happened keep flooding back? Are you on-edge, afraid, irritable, or angry?

If so, you might be struggling with the aftereffects of trauma – also known as posttraumatic stress – and I can help.

My name is Dr. Chris Wolf, founder of Fearless Mind, and I provide therapy for trauma for people just like you.

As a therapist, neuropsychologist, and board-certified psychologist with more than three decades in the field, I have helped thousands of people heal from trauma. Everyone deserves a chance to move forward from the past and achieve a life worth living.

If you are ready to get started, contact me today! I am able to help trauma survivors from 18 to 65 years of age.To learn more about trauma and how psychotherapy can help, read on.

FREE STRATEGY SESSION

Do I need therapy for trauma?

Trauma happens all the time.

Sometimes, it happens all at once in one highly traumatic event, such as:

· Car accidents

· Abuse (physical, emotional, sexual)

· Near-death experiences

· Combat experiences

· Witnessing violence or crime

· Surviving deadly illnesses (e.g., COVID-19, heart attacks, cancer)

· Natural disasters

Sometimes trauma happens over a series of traumatic events or smaller doses over time, such as:

· Working in hostile, socially toxic environments

· Bullying or harassment

· Abandonment or neglect

· Rejection, divorce, or separation

· Losing a job or career

These kinds of traumas happen to people every day, all over the world. Sometimes, we are able to recover from events like these on our own and things go back to normal. But sometimes, the strain of the trauma causes symptoms of posttraumatic stress:

If you or a loved one has been experiencing symptoms like these, seek professional help. Left untreated, posttraumatic stress can derail your career, ruin your relationships, and diminish your quality of life.

When posttraumatic stress is severe enough, we call it Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD. However, you don’t need to have PTSD to seek treatment for trauma. No one should have to struggle with painful past experiences – including you.

Get the help you deserve, and contact me today. As a Cognitive Behavioral Therapist (CBT), I provide the highest level of evidence-based treatment for trauma – which means you get results. I know that you can feel better, find joy, and move forward from what happened to you.

How does therapy for trauma work?

Therapy for trauma is the first line of treatment for symptoms of posttraumatic stress.

You and your therapist work together as a team.

Our first priority is safety. When you begin therapy for trauma, it is common to feel worse before you feel better. You’ll be talking about some difficult thoughts and feelings, and sometimes that can dredge up old memories. You and I work together to make sure that you feel safe and ready to work through the pain at your own pace.

As we work together, we’ll begin to uncover some of the habitual ways of thinking that were needed in the past but are no longer necessary. We are sometimes stuck in our thinking that is no longer functional today. You can learn to identify and overcome these stuck points. Identifying and changing these stuck points can lift you to freedom from stress.

Over time, you can learn to make sense of your trauma, regain a sense of hope and confidence, and move forward with a happier, healthier life.

No matter how long you’ve struggled with trauma, no matter how bad things have been, I can help.

Contact me today to learn how.

Where can I get help?

I am here for you.

As a therapist, my job is to work myself out of a job. I strive to help you overcome whatever life has thrown your way. I take an evidence-based, results-driven approach to my work.

I have been a licensed psychologist since 1988. For the past decade, I have been working with active duty service members of all genders from all branches of service, and most recently veterans. I have had extensive experience with addressing health-related problems by providing evidence-based cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies.

We will start with a comprehensive biopsychosocial interview assessment to develop a clear understanding of your struggles and strengths. Our objective will be to create lasting change to propel you toward your desired reality. We will collaborate together on which objectives are most likely to be effective (and, of course, comfortable) for you.

Contact me today to get started.

Interested? Let’s Talk!

Interested in signing up for your first session? Don’t wait – I’d love to hear from you! I work with adults from all over St. Augustine, Florida and the surrounding area – people just like you.

If you have questions or would like further information, let me know! I offer free 20 minute consultations to help you get a sense of how I work.

Phone: (904) 717-3663
Email: DrChris@iTherapymail.com

sources

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Foa E, Hembree E, Rothbaum B. Prolonged Exposure Therapy for PTSD: Emotional Processing of Traumatic Experiences: Therapist Guide. Oxford University Press, NY, USA (2007).

Friedman, M. J., Marmar, C. R., Baker, D. G., Sikes, C. R., & Farfel, G. M. (2007). Randomized, double blind comparison of sertraline and placebo for posttraumatic stress disorder in Department of Veterans Affairs setting. Journal of Clinical Psychiatry, 68, 711-720. doi: 10.4088/JCP.v68n0508

Gapen, M., van der Kolk, B.A., Hamilin, E., Hirshberg, L. Suvak, M. & Spinazola, J. (2016). A pilot study of neurofeedback for chronic PTSD. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 41(3), 251-261.

Liberon, I., & Abelson, J.L. (2016). Context processing and the neurobiology of post-traumatic stress disorder. Neuron, 92(1), 19-30.

Meichenbaum, D., & Deffenbacher, J. L. (1988). Stress inoculation training. Counseling Psychologist, 16, 69~90.

Porges, S. (2011). The polyvagal theory: Neurophysiologial foundations of emotions, attachment, communication, and self-regulation. New York: W. W. Norton & Company. pg. 69.

Resick, P. A., & Schnicke, M. K. (1993). Cognitive processing therapy for rape victims: A treatment manual. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

Shapiro, F. & Solomon, R. M. (2010). EMDR. In G. Nardone & A Salvini (Eds.). International dictionary of psychotherapies. Rome, Italy: Garzanti Publishing.

Tan, G., Dao, T.LK., Farmer, L., Suthrland, R. J., & Gervitz, R. (2011). Heart rate variability (HRV) and posturaumatic stress disorder (PYSD): a pilot study. Applied Psychophysiology and Biofeedback, 36(1), 27-35.