Marlon Familton, MA LMHC
1601 116th Ave NE, Ste. 102
Bellevue, WA  98004
425-417-4700
Better Mental HealthYour body might be hyper-vigilant and not letting you enjoy life.



Read the criteria for PTSD

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome - PTSD

PTSD Fractures our ability to manage anxiety

Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome or PTSD, usually results when someone has been exposed to what they perceive as a life and threatening situation, to themselves or others.  It fractures our ability to manage daily life.  Complex PTSD is when someone experiences a chronic version of extreme stress.  Shaking, racing heart rate, racing thoughts, sweating, symptoms of panic, hyper vigilance, the list of physical responses is huge. They are multiplied by fearful or challenging thoughts that fuel more emotions.

As strange as it might sound, the way I view this is that there is a memory, memories or experiences that generated intense emotions, often fear, that are in a way trapped inside one's body.  Your brain's memories (the images you hold) are not the only type of memory.  Have you ever smelled something that reminded you of an experience?  Our memories and emotions are designed help our brain quickly access past experiences so we know how to respond in the present. When that memory is traumatic and connected to intense emotions, our body begins reactive to protect itself, hence the common anxious response to leave the present scene no matter what. It is better to act and protect oneself than risk re-experiencing the traumatic even.

Talk therapy mostly accesses memories from the left brain perspective.  The problem with this is that the cognitive, intellectual side of us is not where the difficult memory and emotion is stored.  Therapy needs to access the right brain to help someone actually release the painful memory. This is one reason why Lifespan Integration Therapy is powerful for PTSD.  Emotional Freedom Technique is also powerful here.  When talking brings up the emotions, EFT is a tool to help release them.

PTSD can be debilitating, yet it is possible to find relief from its shackles.