Post - Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD.
Post-traumatic stress is an anxiety disorder caused by stressful, frightening, or distressing events.
It can develop immediately after birth or weeks, months, or years later.
It may be following a birth, miscarriage, failed IVF attempts, termination, or loss of a baby.
Traumatic experiences often involve a threat to life or safety. But it can be any situation that leaves you feeling overwhelmed, lacking control or volition, feeling isolated and alone, just not being heard or listened to.
It may not involve physical harm. The more frightened, helpless, or out of control you feel in that situation the more likely you are to experience anxiety and stress.
Society constantly tells us that birth is magical, life-affirming, and blissful. But if our experiences don’t match the ideal, we often blame ourselves.
When we have had a traumatic experience, sometimes the memories we create are not processed in the brain in the normal way. They remain in the emotional part of the brain and can be triggered very easily by situations in day to day life that remind us or resemble the original trauma. This causes anxiety as it tricks the brain into thinking it’s happening all over again.
Symptoms may include
Intrusive or distressing memories, nightmares, flashbacks, feeling anxious or panicky. Avoiding talking, thinking, or going to places that remind you about birth/ situation. Panic attacks, difficulty sleeping, sweaty palms, nausea. Losing interest in activities you used to enjoy, feeling disconnected or distant from those you are normally close to.
Maybe you are finding it difficult to bond with your baby.
PTSD remains largely unrecognized in maternity services and unlike depression is not routinely screened for postnatally. Affected women and birth partners are therefore rarely identified and treated for PTSD.
Everyone is different and you may not have all the symptoms. Your trauma may have occurred during your pregnancy, or after you had your baby.
Treatment
What is important is that you are listened to and believed.
I create time to listen to your birth story and offer birth trauma resolution treatment (BTRT) if appropriate.
The treatment is quick, gentle, and effective. Using breathing and relaxation techniques that allow you to feel safe the traumatic memory is brought to the forefront of your mind to process it and file it away as a normal memory.
Other treatments for PTSD, such as EMDR and CBT can work but tend to take much longer with up to 12 sessions. BTRT takes between 1 and 3 sessions and is quick, safe, and effective.
The training I have completed is accredited by The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) and The Human Givens Institute (Psychotherapy).
I have professional indemnity insurance. I receive regular supervision sessions from a qualified Psychotherapist with 18 years, experience.
I would recommend referral to a suitable Human Givens Psychotherapist if outside of my knowledge base and training limitations.
The cost per session starts from £45
