Complex PTSD: Childhood PTSD Treatment

Complex PTSD is found in individuals who have been exposed to continous trauma. This includes adults who have experienced physical or emotional abuse during childhood. Because this trauma would have occurred during formative stages in their development process, it may have caused abnormal social maturation which then led to dissociative behaviors that now affect quality of life for the individual in adulthood. Below is how treatment may be structured so the adult can begin an effective healing process.

Explaining PTSD and Symptoms

Before delving into an individualized treatment plan, the patient must be prepared for the healing process. This is done through normalization of the patient’s reactions to explain how their particular coping methods have allowed them to adapt to their experience at the time as well as how they are inhibiting their ability to live fully in adulthood.

Next, it is important to provide educational information about PTSD to explain the reasons for and commonality of the illness as well as erase the stigma attached to it. For example, as coping responses are made apparent to the patient, the counselor may expose the patient to how other PTSD patients have similarly coped with their experiences, and then explain how it is the stress of the experience, rather than a character flaw or weakness, that caused the individual coping mechanisms.

PTSD Treatment Phases

When a safe environment, one where the trauma can be openly discussed, is established by the psychotherapist, then treatment can begin. In many instances, the treatment process is as follows, though the length of time of each step of the process varies:

• Talking about the trauma
• Reprocessing the trauma and formulating new coping strategies (integrating the trauma with the adult self)
• Empowering the survivor to make their own decisions
  

During the treatment process, a number of therapeutic approaches may be attempted in order to:

• Access emotions
• Identify distorted cognitions of self, others and world views and replace with more accurate perceptions
• Create constructive responses and coping skills
  

Meanwhile, it is important to remember that a new healthy pattern can be established through in-depth psychotherapy and can be achieved in a residential treatment facility rather than a hospital setting. Learn more about PTSD treatment facilities that can allow you to work on healing your whole self: body, mind and spirit.