Critical Incidents and Acute Stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma Counselling, Vocational Assessment Counsellors

Critical Incidents and Acute Stress, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma Counselling, Vocational Assessment

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is an anxiety disorder that usually starts within the three months of a traumatic incident. It has been reported that in rare cases, PTSD symptoms may only occur after a number of years.

Three groups of symptoms are present in people with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Increased anxiety / emotional arousal includes anger or irritability, overwhelming shame or guilt, sleeplessness and self-destructive behaviour. The second group of symptoms, known as intrusive memories, causes flashbacks to the traumatic event and upsetting dreams. The third group of symptoms that a Post Traumatic Stress Disorder patient may experience, includes emotional numbing or avoidance. This group of symptoms includes memory problems, poor concentration, feeling emotionally numb, a sense of hopelessness, and an avoidance of activities that the person used to find enjoyable.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms may be present for a while, disappear and then return again. General stress may increase the symptoms, as can reminders of the traumatic incident.

Therapists who address  Post Traumatic Stress Disorder generally use one, or a combination of trauma therapies to treat it. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is commonly used and can help a person to change their reactions to traumatic memories.

Exposure therapy can help a person reduce the amount of fear related to the feelings and thoughts associated with past traumatic events. Cognitive therapy helps a person to change the way he or she thinks about the event and the aftermath of a traumatic incident. It will help a person to identify thoughts that cause fear and anger, and learn ways to replace those thoughts with less stressful and more empowering thoughts.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who offers Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and related issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Trauma counselling can assist with a wide range of internal emotional reactions to devastating situations. Some people experience things as more traumatic than others, and therefore they will need help in coping the emotional burdens of an event or situation.

Stressful events such as death of a loved one, rape, abuse, accidents, divorce, violence or bullying can leave people unable to cope or process the emotional burdens. However, it is not only events linked to the individual personally, but also being a witness to events that might leave a person with post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This includes being a victim to violence or natural disasters - there is no limit to the causes of trauma.

In the case of PTSD, people can develop many different psychological reactions, as determined by their own coping skills, emotional stability and background. Symptoms of PTSD include a anger, depression, flashbacks, insomnia, nightmares, social withdrawal, loss of self esteem and confidence, and substance abuse.

It takes a strong person to have the courage to stand up and request trauma counselling. This is no time to compare yourself to other people in similar situations, but rather to recognize that everyone has a different reaction to trauma. Therefore, it is important to address the symptoms of post traumatic stress disorder as soon as possible to help you deal with emotions in a healthy way and to overcome the difficulties you are facing. Trauma counselling can help avert potentially more severe psychological disorders, that can occur if PTSD is left untreated.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who provides  trauma counselling to address your posttraumatic stress management issues you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

Vocational assessments can help you learn a lot about yourself and your career choices. People who have been successful in their careers, but lack the sense of fulfillment use the results on their psychometric tests as an indicator to implement changes necessary to become happy in their fields. One sign of a lack of fulfillment is when someone has had several jobs, but has not yet found their feet in a specific niche.

If you are looking for a career transition, or if you are a school leaver who wants to start out on the right track, vocational assessments can help you make the right decisions. Mothers who want to re-enter the workforce after taking a break to raise children, might find that their priorities have changed, and that they might flourish in a new field.

No matter where you find yourself, a psychologist or counsellor with training in psycho-diagnostic counselling, vocational assessment and career guidance can help you make the right decisions. He or she will use psycho-diagnostic tools and assessments to test your intellectual abilities, aptitude, personality profiling and emotional functioning to help you find the best career in which you can succeed and be fulfilled.

Vocational assessments can be done for people of different ages, as counsellors can use specific tests to assess school readiness, scholastic ability, sensorimotor ability and personality profiling for young children too. Career guidance for adolescents can help them choose the best subjects to fulfill their career goals, while vocational guidance can help them choose the right careers from the start.

If you are looking for a counsellor or psychologist who does vocational assessments and counselling, you may want to search the directory to find a professional whose approach will suit you best.

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Gerry Bock

M.A., RCC
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Gerry Bock earned his Masters degree in 1990. He has been practicing as a Registered Clinical Counsellor for over 30 years (since 1991).  The practice environment and philosophy offers committed, accountable,... Read more