If you have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), we understand how difficult and scary that can be. But there is hope! There are plenty of options for PTSD therapy in Highlands Ranch, CO that can help you effectively manage your symptoms and heal your psyche. And when you understand the stages of healing related to PTSD, your recovery journey can move along with greater ease.
We want to help chart your path to a better quality of life at Braincode Centers! Since PTSD symptoms and recovery journeys can be widely different from one individual to the next, it’s important to find a treatment strategy that actually works for you.
What Are the Healing Stages for PTSD?
The healing stages for PTSD can vary from person to person. Most people will begin to recover from their experiences within 6 months, but many will have symptoms that last much longer, and for some, the condition can become chronic.
In most cases, people with PTSD will navigate through 4 key stages of recovery:
1. The Emergency Stage
Also referred to as the “impact stage,” this occurs soon after the traumatic event. Individuals may experience a range of intense and confusing emotions, which may include feeling like:
- Shock
- Fear
- Helplessness
- Guilt and/or shame
- Anxiety
- Hypervigilance
This stage can last for a few hours, several, days, or even longer, depending on the severity of the trauma. For instance, the impact phase following a robbery will likely be much shorter than the phase after a house fire or a car crash.
It is important to seek professional help as early as possible during this stage to curb the progression of PTSD symptoms.
2. The Rescue Stage
At this stage, you’ll begin to address the details of the traumatic event and will still experience symptoms. This stage is critical because the individual needs to acknowledge what has happened in order to process their trauma in a healthy way. You may experience feelings like:
- Denial and despair
- Hopelessness and sadness
- Anger and anxiety
- Confusion and denial
- Flashbacks and nightmares
Over time, you’ll start to come to terms with what happened and it will start to become easier to face the cause of your trauma.
3. The Intermediate Recovery Stage
Once you reach this stage, you’ll start to see significant improvements in your symptoms and overall functioning. You’ll have fulfilled your basic safety and survival needs and will begin to cater to other needs that emerge. You may develop healthy coping mechanisms, address new and ongoing adversities, and return to some of your usual life with fewer feelings of distress.
4. The Reconstruction Stage
This is the final stage of your PTSD recovery and it’s all about rebuilding and continuing to deal with personal post-event problems. At this point, you’ve made significant progress in your treatment, have few lingering symptoms, and are now focused on your future.
It’s important to note that these stages are not fixed or set in stone. Individuals experience PTSD in subjective ways and your recovery may not be a direct progression from one stage to the next. It’s important to seek out early intervention strategies and therapies to overcome PTSD symptoms sooner rather than later.
Navigate These Recovery Stages with PTSD Therapy
In Highlands Ranch, we are no strangers to treating PTSD and trauma. At Braincode Centers, we believe that personalization is the key to successfully treating PTSD conditions and symptoms.
With the right treatment strategy, you can navigate your PTSD recovery for long-term symptom relief. Traditional talk therapy and prescription medications are often the primary treatment methods for PTSD, but it’s worth exploring holistic therapies like neurofeedback.
Also referred to as EEG biofeedback, neurofeedback is an all-natural, drug-free, and non-invasive therapy that can restore your brain activity to a healthy state. It works to literally retrain your brainwaves to alleviate PTSD symptoms, reduce the impact of trauma triggers, and re-balance your brain function.
It all starts with a qEEG brain map, which allows your brain training specialist to identify the areas of your brain that are out of balance. This provides a roadmap for your neurofeedback treatment plan that will be adjusted to your unique treatment needs.
During a neurofeedback treatment, your clinician will guide you through a series of brain training exercises and you’ll be positively or negatively rewarded for certain cognitive behaviors or responses. Over time, the training will rebalance your brainwave patterns to combat the effects of PTSD. We can also provide counseling services with licensed therapists to fully round out your treatment strategy.
Get Started with our Holistic PTSD Therapy in Highlands Ranch, CO
If you’re ready to take a science-backed approach to treat your PTSD symptoms, you’ve come to the right place. At Braincode Centers, we can provide a multi-pronged approach for your PTSD therapy plan that integrates new techniques alongside your existing ones. We’ll make sure every part of your plan is personalized to your exact needs and we’ll continuously adjust your neurofeedback plan to get the long-term results that you need.
Contact Braincode Centers today to get started with our holistic approach to PTSD therapy in Highlands Ranch, CO.
