Tips for Coping with PTSD Symptoms Between Therapy Sessions
Living with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can be incredibly challenging. The symptoms, including intrusive memories, nightmares, hypervigilance, emotional distress, shame, and guilt can significantly impact one's daily life. While therapy is essential for managing PTSD, it's equally important to develop coping strategies to alleviate symptoms between therapy sessions. This blog post aims to provide valuable tips for individuals in the Lee's Summit, MO service area, who are seeking ways to cope with their PTSD symptoms effectively.
Tips For Coping with PTSD:
Understand Your Triggers:
One of the first steps in managing PTSD symptoms is identifying and understanding your triggers. Triggers can be people, places, sights, sounds, or even certain situations that remind you of the traumatic event. Take time to reflect on what triggers your symptoms and make a list of them. Knowing your triggers can help you plan ahead and implement strategies to minimize their impact.
Practice Grounding Techniques:
Grounding techniques are effective tools for bringing your focus back to the present moment and reducing anxiety. Engage your senses by paying attention to your surroundings. For example, take deep breaths and focus on the sensation of air entering and leaving your lungs. Touch an object and observe its texture or name five things you can see, hear, and feel around you. Grounding techniques can help calm your mind during distressing moments. Our therapists have written before about using grounding stones and the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, but honestly there are a lot of different ways to practice grounding. The point is doing something to get you out of your head and into the present moment.
Develop a Self-Care Routine:
Prioritizing self-care is crucial for managing PTSD symptoms. Establish a self-care routine that includes activities that bring you joy and relaxation. This can be anything from practicing mindfulness or meditation to engaging in hobbies like painting, gardening, or exercising. Engaging in activities you enjoy can help distract your mind from distressing thoughts and promote a sense of well-being.
Connect with Supportive People:
Isolation can intensify PTSD symptoms, so it's important to build a support system. Reach out to trusted friends, family members, or support groups in the Lee's Summit, MO area who can provide a listening ear and understanding. Sharing your experiences with others who have gone through similar challenges can be immensely comforting and validating.
Create a Safety Plan:
Having a safety plan in place can provide a sense of security during periods of heightened distress. Identify activities or coping strategies that make you feel safe and create a list of emergency contacts. This plan can include contacting a mental health professional, a trusted friend, or a helpline specifically designed to assist individuals with PTSD.
Utilize Relaxation Techniques:
Engaging in relaxation techniques can help manage anxiety and stress associated with PTSD. Deep breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, guided imagery, and meditation are proven methods to induce relaxation and reduce symptoms. Explore different techniques and find what works best for you.
Practice Healthy Lifestyle Habits:
Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can have a positive impact on your overall well-being and help manage PTSD symptoms. Prioritize regular exercise, eat a balanced diet, get adequate sleep, and avoid excessive alcohol or substance use. Taking care of your physical health can support your mental well-being and improve your resilience.
Trauma Intensives Can Help Develop Coping Skills
While therapy is vital for individuals living with PTSD, it's equally important to have coping strategies in place to manage symptoms between therapy sessions. By understanding your triggers, practicing grounding techniques, developing a self-care routine, connecting with supportive people, creating a safety plan, utilizing relaxation techniques, and practicing healthy lifestyle habits, you can effectively cope with PTSD symptoms. Remember, seeking support from therapists and mental health services in the Lee's Summit, MO area can provide valuable guidance and assistance on your journey toward healing and recovery.
Begin Intensive Trauma Therapy at Aspire Counseling in Lee’s Summit, MO
The road to recovery from PTSD can be long and challenging, but we believe that our one-week trauma-intensive program provides significant relief to those struggling with PTSD. With evidence-based therapy, concentrated sessions, and a follow-up session a month post-treatment to ensure any issues are addressed, our approach to PTSD care delivers significant results. If you have tried traditional therapy and still find yourself struggling with PTSD symptoms, we welcome you to explore our one-week trauma-intensive program at Aspire Counseling.
1) Reach out to our team online or by calling 573-328-2288
2) Have a quick chat via phone or Zoom with one of our therapists about the program
3) Schedule your Trauma Intensive!
Other Mental Health Supports at Aspire Counseling
Aspire Counseling offers a variety of other mental health supports for people in Missouri. We offer in-person counseling both in Lee’s Summit and Columbia, MO. While we specialize in counseling for anxiety and PTSD treatment, we can help with a wide range of other concerns as well. We generally see children aged 10 through retirement age. And we have therapists with various specialties including disordered eating, depression, grief, gender-affirming care, and OCD treatment.
In addition to our Trauma Therapy Intensive, Aspire Counseling offers many other therapy services related directly to overcoming trauma. These services include the following: