Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition that develops after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic or terrifying event in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened, and the person experienced intense fear, helplessness, or horror.

Symptoms of PTSD include:

  • Distressing recollections or dreams of the event
  • Feeling as if the event is recurring (flashbacks)
  • Emotional reactions to reminders of the event
  • Efforts to avoid thoughts, feelings, people, and other reminders of the event
  • Loss of interest in activities previously enjoyed
  • Feeling detached from others
  • Difficulty falling asleep
  • Easily startled
  • Irritability or outburst of anger

PTSD must be taken seriously and professional treatment required if the symptoms persist and affect one's quality of life. It is important to know that PTSD is not a personal weakness or failure; rather it is a normal response of the mind to "protect" us from similar threats to our survival, and is associated with the "fight or flight" response required for survival in life-threatening situations.

Gerald Snook, our provider of mental health services, has over 16 years of providing treatment to traumatized individuals, from age 4 to seniors. He was an early pioneer in the use of EMDR and Thought Field Therapy (TFT), having received his training in the early 90's. Together, these treatments offer an effective and proven method of treating trauma, rapidly and effectively.

Some types of trauma he has treated over the past 16 years include:

  • Vehicular accidents
  • War trauma
  • Severe dog bites (including children)
  • Medical trauma (PTSD from heart attacks, early waking from anesthesia)
  • Fear of flying associated with previous trauma
  • Criminal assaults