PTSD and Stress Therapy to Help First Responders
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is most commonly associated with soldiers who have experienced the traumas of war. Increasingly, however, we are coming to realize that first responders—those individuals who put themselves in harm’s way every day to keep us safe—are also at a high risk of developing PTSD and related behavioral health concerns. Firefighters, police officers, 911 operators, emergency medical technicians (EMTs), and search and rescue experts are often first on the scene in dangerous and extremely stressful situations. Moreover, they are called on to do so repeatedly, without time in between these events to process and recover. Indeed, studies now confirm that first responders are at a higher risk of PTSD: in general, approximately 30% of first responders develop PTSD or related behavioral health problems, compared to 20% of the general population.
What is PTSD?
Our body has developed instinctive mechanisms for coping with danger. Often called the “fight, flight, or freeze” response, this mechanism enables our body to respond quickly to a threat. For individuals who have been through trauma, however, the body can become “stuck” in this instinctive response mode, unable to “turn it off” even when no danger or trauma is apparent. This constant state of heightened awareness can, in turn, lead to severe behavioral concerns we know as PTSD. Specifically, symptoms of PTSD can include:
Intense feelings of fear and constant vigilance premised on the belief that one can never be safe, even when no danger is present
Chronic anxiety and the need to be always “on guard”, coupled with an inability to unwind or relax
Uncontrolled thinking about and/or reliving a traumatic event
Persistent feelings of hopelessness and/or depression
Feelings of disconnectedness and inability to establish emotional bonds with loved ones
Problems with sleep, including difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, and/or persistent nightmares
Irritability and frequent and uncontrollable outbursts of anger
Suicidal ideation (thoughts of suicide), either active (making a specific plan) or passive (thoughts like “everyone would be better off without me here”)
How can Neurolease™ Help?
An amazing new treatment—Neurolease™—is designed to reestablish healthy communication between the brain and the body so that the body can “shut off” the “fight, flight, or freeze” response. Just as our body has developed the ability to survive a traumatic event with the “fight, flight, or freeze” response, our body has also developed the incredible ability to heal itself! The goal of Neurolease™ is to empower and enhance our deep-seeded self-healing mechanisms.
Neurolease™ focuses on restoring balance between the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system is the body’s “flight, fight, or freeze”—or basic survival—mode. The parasympathetic nervous system is the body’s “relax, repair, and restore” mode. The key to the success of Neurolease™ is reestablishing a normal and healthy flow between the two systems in order to promote and facilitate our ability to heal ourselves.
What is a Neurolease™ Treatment?
To put it simply, Neurolease™ is designed to help the body relearn the difference between a threatening situation and a safe situation. During a Neurolease™ treatment, a licensed behavioral therapist will work on focusing your mind on trauma, while your body is simultaneously receiving signals of safety; those feelings of safety and relaxation are promoted through specialized massage provided by a licensed massage therapist. Over time, the mind begins to recognize the critical difference between safety and threat, thus “turning off” the overworked “flight, fight, or freeze” response.
Neurolease™ can be highly intense as the behavioral therapy encourages the mind to recognize, acknowledge, and begin to repair the damage and imbalance caused by past trauma. However, unlike traditional cognitive therapy, Neurolease™ does not require verbal interaction between yourself and your therapist; instead, the techniques used by the therapist will engage your sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in order to restore the healthy balance between the two and stimulate your mind’s ability to heal itself from the scars of past trauma.
Collaborative Therapeutic Services (CTS) seeks to maximize clients’ options by offering a variety of services, hours, and service providers with diverse specializations. We offer evening & weekend appointments. Have questions? Contact Us Here or Call 813-951-7346. Located in Tampa, Florida.
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