Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
Experiencing trauma or a stressful event can deeply affect your mental health. It can impact your relationships, job, and how you view yourself. Often, this leads to avoiding situations that trigger those feelings, which can prevent you from fully enjoying life. At ActiveMind Counseling in Chicago, we specialize in helping individuals like you who are facing the effects of trauma and stress-related disorders, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Adjustment Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, and Prolonged Grief Disorder. Our research-based therapies will equip you with the tools you need to regain control and navigate your life with confidence.
Types of Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
-
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can occur after experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Individuals with PTSD may experience a range of symptoms, including flashbacks, nightmares, severe anxiety, and uncontrollable thoughts about the event. These symptoms can lead to emotional distress and avoidance of situations that remind them of the trauma, impacting daily life and relationships. It is important to seek professional support and learn effective coping strategies to manage these symptoms and work toward healing.
-
Acute Stress Disorder (ASD) is a mental health condition that can occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event. Symptoms often arise within three days to four weeks following the trauma and may include anxiety, flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, difficulty sleeping, and irritability. While these reactions are natural responses to trauma, they can interfere with daily life and well-being. Understanding ASD is crucial because with the right support and coping strategies, individuals can navigate their feelings and begin the healing process effectively.
-
Adjustment disorders are emotional or behavioral responses that occur when someone struggles to cope with a significant life change or stressor, such as a divorce, job loss, or the death of a loved one. These reactions can manifest as anxiety, depression, or disruptive behaviors and typically arise within three months of the triggering event. It's important to recognize that adjustment disorders are temporary and can be effectively addressed through support and therapeutic strategies. Seeking help can provide you with the tools to navigate these challenges and regain emotional balance.
-
Prolonged Grief Disorder (PGD) is a condition that occurs when the natural process of grieving becomes persistent and overwhelming. Individuals with PGD may experience intense sorrow, preoccupation with the loss, and difficulty moving forward in life long after the passing of a loved one. This can affect everyday functioning, relationships, and overall well-being. If you find yourself struggling to cope with grief over an extended period, it may be beneficial to seek support and explore therapeutic options to help navigate this difficult journey.
Do I Have PTSD?
The PCL-5 Assessment below is a great self-report tool to check to see if you may have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) or stress-related symptoms.
Below is a list of problems that people sometimes have in response to a very stressful experience. Keeping your worst event in mind, please read each problem carefully and then select one of the numbers to the right to indicate how much you have been bothered by that problem in the past month.
PCL-5 Assessment
Trauma (PTSD) Treatments Available from ActiveMind Counseling
-
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based treatment specifically designed for individuals struggling with PTSD. This therapeutic approach helps clients understand and restructure their thoughts related to traumatic experiences, promoting healthier thinking patterns. Through a series of structured sessions, participants learn to identify unhelpful beliefs and develop coping strategies that enable them to process feelings of distress. By actively engaging in this transformative process, clients can reclaim control over their lives and integrate their trauma into a more positive narrative.
-
Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a highly effective treatment designed to help individuals, particularly children and adolescents, process and overcome the effects of trauma. By combining cognitive-behavioral techniques with trauma-sensitive interventions, TF-CBT fosters a safe environment where clients can explore their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors related to traumatic experiences. This therapeutic approach not only helps clients understand and manage their feelings but also provides them with practical skills to cope and build resilience, ultimately paving the way for healing and recovery.
-
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) helps individuals manage trauma and stress-related disorders by changing their relationship with distressing thoughts and feelings. Through mindfulness, clients learn to observe their thoughts without judgment, reducing the impact of trauma and stress. ACT encourages identifying core values and taking meaningful actions aligned with those values, fostering acceptance and flexibility. This approach empowers clients to move forward in life, reclaiming their well-being and promoting a more fulfilling, present-focused existence.
Example Treatment Plan for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Approach: Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Duration: 14 Sessions
Session 1: Assessment & Treatment Planning
Conduct diagnostic assessment (PCL-5, interview)
Identify client’s triggers, thought patterns, and coping skills.
Introduce CPT principles
Set treatment goals and expectations
Session 2: Overview of PTSD and CPT
Psychoeducation on Trauma and the brain.
Identify the index event.
Assign Impact Statement
Session 3: Impact Statement
Review impact statement.
Learn and identify stuck points.
Introduce ABC Worksheets
Session 4: ABC Worksheets
Review any completed ABC Worksheets
Discuss stuck points that arise.
Continue with ABC worksheets and Stuck Point Log
Session 5: Processing the Index Event
Review ABC worksheets and discuss stuck points.
Learn the differences among Unforeseeable, Responsibility, and Blame
Introduce Exploring Questions Worksheet.
Session 6: Exploring Questions
Review Exploring Questions Worksheet
Introduce Thinking Patterns Worksheet
Match stuck points to thinking patterns.
Session 7: Thinking Patterns
Mid-treatment Assessments
Review Thinking Patterns Worksheets
Introduce Alternative Thoughts Worksheet
Session 8: Alternative Thoughts
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheet
Introduce themes of Safety
Alternative Thoughts Worksheets on Safety Issues
Session 9: Trauma Themes - Safety
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheets - Safety
Introduce Trust
Alternative Thoughts Worksheets on Trust Issues
Session 10: Trauma Themes - Trust
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheets - Trust
Trust Star Exercise
Introduce Power/Control Issues
Session 11: Trauma Themes - Power/Control
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheets on Power/Control
Introduce Esteem Issues.
Compliment Log
Session 12: Trauma Themes - Esteem
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheets - Esteem
Review Compliment Log
Introduce Intimacy Issues
Session 13: Trauma Themes - Intimacy
Review Alternative Thoughts Worksheets - Intimacy
Check in on unfinished business
Session 14: Termination
Reflect on journey and achievements
Encourage continued values-based action and mindfulness practice
Celebrate progress and reinforce confidence in managing anxiety
Example Treatment Plan Cost Estimate*:
Private Pay Rate:
$150/Individual session
$40/Group session
14 sessions x 180 = $2100
*Note: This example is provided for informational purposes. Each treatment plan is customized to your unique needs. Treatment time and session content may vary. Cost will vary depending on insurance coverage and client needs. We will make reasonable effort to notify you if anticipated costs will be more than the estimated cost.
