I happy to announce that I am now trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprogramming) and BLAST(Bi Lateral Analysis and Stimulation Treatment) techniques. These techniques are extremely efficient in dealing with trauma and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Most people class trauma as something horrific or extreme but every person is different, so what appears to be minor upset to one person can be devastating to another. So what is PTSD?
The NHS describe Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as an anxiety disorder caused by very stressful, frightening or distressing events.
Someone with PTSD often relives the traumatic event through nightmares and flashbacks, and may experience feelings of isolation, irritability and guilt.
They may also have problems sleeping, such as insomnia, and find concentrating difficult.
These symptoms are often severe and persistent enough to have a significant impact on the person’s day-to-day life.
The type of events that can cause PTSD include:
serious road accidents
violent personal assaults, such as sexual assault, mugging or robbery
prolonged sexual abuse, violence or severe neglect
witnessing violent deaths
military combat
being held hostage
terrorist attacks
natural disasters, such as severe floods, earthquakes or tsunamis
PTSD can develop immediately after someone experiences a disturbing event or it can occur weeks, months or even years later.
PTSD is estimated to affect about 1 in every 3 people who have a traumatic experience, but it’s not clear exactly why some people develop the condition and others don’t.
People with PTSD experience three different kinds of symptoms. The first set of symptoms involves reliving the trauma in some way such as becoming upset when confronted with a traumatic reminder or thinking about the trauma when you are trying to do something else. The second set of symptoms involves either staying away from places or people that remind you of the trauma, isolating from other people, or feeling numb. The third set of symptoms includes things such as feeling on guard, irritable, or startling easily.
It’s normal to experience upsetting and confusing thoughts after a traumatic event, but most people improve naturally over a few weeks.
You should visit your GP if you or your child are still having problems about four weeks after the traumatic experience, or if the symptoms are particularly troublesome. The NHS recognise that EMDR is proving very effective in cases of PTSD
The BLAST technique is an accelerated method of using EMDR can also be used for phobias, cravings, guilt and anxiety to name but a few.