FAQs
What should I expect from a therapist?
There are a lot of reasons people see a therapist. When they do, some things should be the same. A warm, supportive environment. Understanding that we’re all human beings doing the best we can. Everyone falls down (the therapist too!) and gets up again. Honest, calm assessment and feedback. Respect and equality. The therapist should seek to listen and to understand what you’re telling them. They ask questions about what is going on so they can see from your perspective. Questions may be specific to one situation or may be more general, about your life, family, job, childhood, etc., so that they better understand you and what your needs are
How do I know I have the right therapist?
Do you feel listened to? Does the therapist give you a sense of hope, that you are having a normal response to an abnormal situation? Do you feel supported and do you want to come back, even after a difficult session? If you answer no to these questions, it can be hard for you to make the progress you need. Plan for your success: talk to some therapists, ask them about their approach to counseling and their beliefs. This is your life, and your healing… it’s way too important to leave to chance. You never have to settle: find the therapist that’s the best fit for you.
What is trauma, anyway?
Many people think trauma is a dangerous or life-threatening event that occurs. This is why when bad things happen, there is an assumption that everyone who was involved will be traumatized. But this isn’t the case. What trauma really is, is a person’s response to a threatening event or situation. Not everyone who is involved in a traumatic situation will be traumatized. And those people who do experience trauma, will experience it to varying degrees. Because trauma occurs when the person’s ability to cope with the situation becomes overwhelmed. So the more resources and supports you have in your life, the harder it is for you to become overwhelmed and the more resilient you are when painful things happen. That means the opposite is also true: the fewer supports and resources a person has, the easier events can become overwhelming and the more likely they are to be traumatized. Some people think that trauma can only occur when something painful happens to you. This we now know is not accurate.
Direct: the event occurred to you or you witnessed it, and your ability to cope was overwhelmed.
Secondary: as a first responder or frontline staff person, you witness painful situations that overwhelm your resilience either immediately or over time.
Vicarious: as care givers such as therapists, doctors, nurses, etc., have empathy for those they’re treating and start to behave in ways their traumatized clients/patients do. Sometimes this is called traumatic countertransference.
What is PTSD?
According to the American Psychiatric Association: “Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a psychiatric disorder that can occur in people who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a serious accident, a terrorist act, war/combat, rape or other violent personal assault.
PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults, and an estimated one in 11 people will experience PTSD in their lifetime. People with PTSD continue to have intense, disturbing thoughts and feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear or anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people.
People with PTSD may avoid situations or people that remind them of the traumatic event, and they may have strong negative reactions to something as ordinary as a loud noise or an accidental touch.” from https://www.psychiatry.org/patients-families/ptsd/what-is-ptsd
To this we’d add that long term, chronic neglect, sexual assault and emotional abuse can cause PTSD (Perry et al., 2013).
Do I have to be on medication while I’m in therapy?
As part of your needs discussion, the therapist may recommend you discuss the possibility of medication with your doctor or APRN. However, medication prescription is outside the scope of practice of a therapist who is not also a licensed MD, APRN or PA.
How long will it take until I feel better?
Therapy is a cooperative process: you tell the therapist what you want to accomplish and they help build a roadmap for you to get there. As you go down the road, they help with navigation and staying on the route you want to do down. Very quickly, you’ll discover that the rate and amount of healing is in your hands. Your therapist will be present, and walk this road with you. But they can’t do the work or make the changes. In a lot of ways, it’s like getting exercise, or learning a new skill. The more you do it, and practice what you learn in your appointments in the rest of your life, the sooner you will see an improvement.
I’ve had PTSD for a long time…can you really help me?
Dr. Eric Gentry says that “Healing trauma is simple. But it’s not easy.” If you’re like most people, fear of the trauma (perceived threat) returning has narrowed your life. Maybe there are places you won’t go, or things that you won’t do or let yourself think about because it’s too overwhelming. No matter what it was or how recent or long ago it happened, you don’t have to continue to live that way. The steps to healing ARE simple. What is difficult is committing to them as a way of life. But when you do, you heal. And you get your life back.
How do I get started with treatment?
To talk to us, call (402) 537-9628 or you can fill out the contact form on the website and we’ll call you. We can talk about your needs, and how our program works. Then YOU decide if it’s what you want and whether to make an appointment.
How do I pay for treatment?
We accept most major insurance, BC/BS, UBH, TriCare, etc. We also accept with Workman’s Comp. Sliding fee scale is available.