Trauma Work

Jane Blansfield Finch, LCSW

Psychotherapy for Adults, Couples, and Teens
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Do you wonder whether events you experienced in the past are still influencing you in some way -- causing you to feel pain, fear, shame, or anxiety? Did you make it through difficult times but find that some of the ways you coped are now not working so well?

Traumatic experiences -- whether singular events like accidents, disasters, and assaults or ongoing ordeals such as child abuse or neglect and chronic illness -- often underlie problems with depression, anxiety, and substance abuse. Often memories of the events and associated disturbing emotions can be triggered unexpectedly, and we might dedicate a lot of energy to blocking or numbing those thoughts and feelings for fear of being overwhelmed by them.
Trauma therapy does not have to be long and painful.

With the assistance of EMDR, a trauma processing technique that uses alternating bilateral stimulation by way of eye movements or hand taps, you can achieve significant emotional relief and gain helpful insights in only a few sessions. Research studies using the method are substantiating the ample anecdotal evidence from clinicians pointing to its effectiveness, and it has been approved by the Veterans Administration for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in combat veterans.
 
Procedures

Before embarking on trauma desensitization and reprocessing, we would work on enhancing your strengths and skills for stress management and coping. We would then review past events, choosing which ones to work on and in which order. Each memory would then be worked on until it can be recalled without disturbing emotions or beliefs attached. See the EMDR website included on my Links page for more information on the mechanics of the therapy.
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        Jane Finch, LCSW, is a clinical social worker in private practice in Durham, NC.
Copyright 2005 Jane Blansfield Finch, LCSW. All rights reserved.