Trauma & PTSD
Because life isn’t always that easy…
Trauma is one of those words that can have many different meanings. Some define trauma as experiences that leave you feeling distressed. For example, do you have a memory that causes a gut-wrenching feeling when you think about it? That’s distress… and also probably trauma. Trauma can also be caused by life-altering events such as assault, abuse, rape, sexual assault, medical emergencies, accidents, violence, and more.
Trauma is hard to work through…
When you experience trauma your life seems to stop, It is tough to think about, feel, and relive. It’s so much easier to try and avoid thinking about it altogether. We get it. Our therapists know that working through your trauma is really challenging; emotionally, mentally, and physically. That’s why we take trauma treatment and PTSD treatment at your pace. We want to help you heal and have tools to help. Also, we want to be gentle when it comes to our work with you around your trauma.
Here’s the thing. You weren’t meant to do this work alone. We’re here to walk with you as you heal and move forward with your life.
Causes of Trauma and PTSD
Sexual Abuse / Rape / Sexual Assault
Lack of sex education
Childhood neglect: emotional, physical, time)
Abandonment
Verbal, physical, or emotional abuse
Intimate Partner Violence / Domestic Violence
Cancer or other medical illnesses
An accident
Bullying
Grief or loss
And of course so much more!
Trauma Treatment and PTSD Treatment that works…
We’re here to help you make sense and heal from your trauma. You deserve to live a life where your traumatic memories don’t cause you so much pain. There are a number of different therapy approaches that work when it comes to trauma. Here are the ones we have seen as effective and enjoy working with:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR )
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Trauma Focused CBT
Sex Therapy ( Sensate Focus )
Attachment therapy
Emotion Focused Therapy
Group Therapy
How Sexual Trauma Can Impact Your Life
Sexual trauma is terrifying. It impacts us in huge ways. Our bodies feel it and hold onto those memories. Sexual abuse can lead to depression, anxiety, PTSD, sexual challenges, relationship challenges, phobias. and more. We can feel confused and alone and completely overwhelmed. Or maybe we’ve taken that memory and stuffed it so far back in our mind that we pretend it never happened.
That unprocessed and unhealed experience always makes its way out in one way or another.
The effects of unprocessed trauma…
Often, we see unprocessed trauma manifesting through:
- Controlling behaviors like OCD
- Avoiding people
- Not getting into relationships
- Eating Disorders
- Sexual Dysfunctions
- Using sex as a way to feel loved
- Sexual acting out behaviors
- Avoiding sex
- Anger
- Rage
- Self-destructive behaviors
- Self-harm
- Chronic depression
- Anxiety
- PTSD
A little more on sexual trauma…
We wanted to highlight sexual trauma because many people who see us have experienced sexual abuse in some form.
According to RAINN 1 out of 6 women has been sexually violated (and this is only of those who report their abuse)
Men also experience sexual assault but are less likely to speak out about their abuse. Men who experience rape are 1 out of every 10 survivors.
About 70% of those who have experienced sexual assault experience significant distress. The highest rate among any other violence crime.
Types of Sexual Trauma
Maybe you were manipulated into a situation that made it seem like you were consenting to sexual acts, even though you weren’t.
Perhaps you were drugged and your memory is completely gone.
Maybe the act felt good which means it couldn’t have been sexual abuse, right?
It could have happened by a family member and it didn’t feel safe to tell anyone about it.
Maybe your partner is the one who is sexually abusing you.
You were sexually harassed at work.
This is scary and confusing, isn’t it?
Many people feel silenced after experiencing trauma.
The media often portrays rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault, and molestation as being clear cut. Crime dramas often share a story about a stranger lurking behind a bush, grabbing an individual, there was a struggle, they yelled, but they couldn’t get away.
This might be your story. Or maybe, yours was more confusing.
Statistics show that sexual assaults usually are committed by people who we know… usually really well. They can be people who others really like and care for, like your dad, your uncle, your babysitter, your teacher, your pastor, or your partner.
If you are ready to try out therapy…
Know that we are here for you to meet you where you are. We can help you move forward from the trauma that happened to you. You were never meant to do this alone!
Resources
We get that you might not be ready for therapy yet. It can feel nerve-wracking to dive into this type of therapy. It might not even feel safe for you to talk about it yet.
A great resource here in the Cincinnati area where you can call to talk about your situation anonymously around sexual assault/rape and Domestic violence / Intimate Partner Violence / Bullying / Stalking / Teen Dating Violence or even helping someone you know who is a survivor is Women Helping Women.
They offer a 24-hour hotline you can call or chat online with anonymously. They also are able to help provide you with additional free resources in the community such as a Women or Men’s shelter, free legal aid, free groups, guiding you through a safety plan, rape kit hospital accompaniment and more.
NExt Steps
Our Approach to Online Therapy in Ohio…
At Emma Schmidt and Associates we aim to provide the same high-quality counseling services you would receive if you’d meet with one of our therapists in our Cincinnati based counseling offices in-person. If you’re concerned about the effectiveness of online therapy, don’t be. Research indicates that online therapy can be just as effective as traditional in-person therapy. Sometimes, simply knowing that you can access high-quality counseling services from the comfort of your home offers you the security to open up and be vulnerable with your therapist. At our counseling practice, our therapists are ready and able to help you work on the issues that matter most to you via our secure online therapy platform.
Please reach out if you are feeling uncomfortable about the online therapy approach. We would be happy to have you try out our Telehealth platform during a 15-minute free consultation session.
Begin Trauma Treatment & PTSD Treatment…
If you’re ready to begin trauma treatment and PTSD treatment to move forward from the trauma you have experienced and heal. Then, the therapists at Emma Schmidt and Associates would be honored to speak with you and share the many ways we can help you thrive. To begin counseling in Cincinnati, OH, follow these steps:
1. Contact Emma Schmidt and Associates to request a free consultation.
2. Meet with a skilled trauma therapist for a free consultation appointment.
3. Begin trauma treatment and PTSD treatment and begin your healing journey.
Other Services Offered at Emma Schmidt and Associates:
More to check out…
The therapists at Emma Schmidt and Associates, a Cincinnati-based therapy office, are skilled relationship and sex therapists. But, that’s not the only mental health service they offer. Our therapists treat general mental health and relationship concerns. We treat many different sexual concerns including sexual pain and erectile dysfunction, and mismatched libido. And, we offer anxiety treatment, depression treatment, EMDR, sexual trauma treatment, affair recovery counseling, and relationship and couples therapy. Additionally, our therapists provide online therapy in Ohio and online therapy in Kentucky. Contact our office to learn more about our workshops and the many ways our team of skilled clinicians can help you thrive.