Link Between Childhood Sexual Abuse and Auditory Hallucinations

May 7th, 2012  |  

There are a number of different experiences that can cause a child to develop maladaptive coping tendencies. Children who are emotionally or physically abused, neglected, or raised in extremely stressful environments may internalize their emotions. Likewise, children who have experienced sexual abuse may dissociate as a way of defending themselves from the psychological harm that results from sexual abuse. Trauma suffered in childhood increases the risk for dissociative behaviors. Auditory hallucinations are one form of dissociation and are evident in individuals with mental illnesses such as Read More

© Copyright 2012 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Woodland Hills Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

The Path to Safety: Treating Dissociation With Movement

April 6th, 2012  |  

Psychotherapists and clients who are working with issues of dissociation talk about being grounded a lot. What we usually mean by grounded is the experience of feeling present and aware in our bodies and being able to interact with the world around us with a clarity of our senses. There are even formulas that seem to have developed for how to be present—“feel your feet on the floor, your butt in your chair, and breathe.” Sometimes this is enough, but often it’s not. Moving your body is a much faster and more reliable method for becoming grounded. Although movement in general is often... Read More

Recognizing Resiliency in Maladaptive PTSD Behaviors

February 7th, 2012  |  

Resiliency is seen as one’s ability to adaptively cope with stressful events. Individuals who have survived childhood traumas learn how to cope in various ways. Some engage in dissociative behaviors to protect themselves from emotional distress during childhood. Other children rely on different strategies to survive. But when these children reach adulthood, the once adaptive coping methods can become maladaptive in the absence of ongoing abuse. The resilient behaviors... Read More

© Copyright 2012 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Westlake Village Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

Experienced Therapists Recommend Similar Strategies for Dissociation

December 12th, 2011  |  

Dissociative disorder not otherwise specified (DDNOS) and dissociative identity disorder (DID) have been studied greatly over the past decade. Experts agree that these psychological challenges are most often the results of traumatic events and clients with DID or DDNOS respond best to treatment that targets the trauma. “Cross-sectional and longitudinal data from a large, observational international sample of DID and DDNOS patients indicated decreased symptoms... Read More

© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org - All Rights Reserved.

Childhood Poverty and Trauma as Predictors of Future Victimization

October 3rd, 2011  |  

: Traumatic events in childhood can lead to a lifetime of psychological problems. People who have experienced an interpersonal trauma are much more likely to be re-victimized later in life than those who have no experience of trauma. “Women with a childhood abuse history are around 1.4 to 3.7 times more likely to be sexually assaulted in adulthood, and a majority (around 59%) of women with either childhood sexual assaults (CSA) or adult assaults have experienced both,” said Bridget Klest of the University of Oregon, author of a recent study that examined the effects of childhood trauma and... Read More

© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Newport Beach Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

New Study Suggests Mindfulness is Beneficial to First Responders

September 6th, 2011  |  

: Mindfulness is a therapeutic technique that teaches one to focus entirely on the present moment as a method of coping with negative psychological symptoms. For first responders, including fire-fighters, this type of practice could be particularly beneficial. “Mindfulness-based interventions may complement cognitive behavioral approaches, which focus on teaching people to regulate distressing thoughts and feelings that occur in response to stressful events,” said researchers from the University of New Mexico.... Read More

© Copyright 2011 by http://www.GoodTherapy.org Therapist Baltimore Bureau - All Rights Reserved.

On Creativity, Grief and Resilience: How “The Courage to Be” is the Greatest Creative Gift

March 4th, 2011  |  

During my career, I had the privilege of working with adults living with severe and persistent mental illness in an outpatient program at a local behavioral health center.  Although frequently grouped together and labeled as “crazy” or “nuts” – as well as “dangerous” - in popular parlance, this was hardly a homogeneous population. There were people in their late teens, adults and senior citizens from many different cultural backgrounds, living with varying symptoms and in various stages of the “disease” process: from newly diagnosed to chronic. Among those I counseled were people... Read More

Dissociation: Life Through A Lens

August 19th, 2007  |  

Not feeling “grounded” often walks hand in hand with stress, and may be a signal for a need to connect with yourself and achieve balance. In its extreme, not being grounded is most familiar for those with histories of trauma which can lead to “dissociation.” With this in mind, if you are a survivor of any kind of abuse, or a therapist working with survivors, knowledge of dissociation and grounding skills is key to the healing journey. The Lens Even if... Read More