Musings

Wendy was recently interviewed for SD Voyager about how life challenges led her to this career choice.

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The past two years have arguably been the most difficult in this lifetime for many. Mantram repetition, Mindful Self-Compassion, and Mindful Meditation are all methods to calm the mind and body.

Wendy has been teaching a technique called Mantram repetition for more than 18 years. This was brought to the United States by Sri Eknath Easwaran in the 60’s. A Mantram is a spiritual word or phrase that has been used in this way for generations to bring peace. Mantram repetition is silent and therefore private, allowing one to use it throughout the day bringing calm and solace.

Mindful Self-Compassion helps one bring the compassion felt for others to oneself. By recognizing suffering within, one can bring warmth and understanding to this experience rather than judgement and condemnation. Often people are more harsh with themselves than they would be with a friend. These internal messages can deplete energy and reinforce a negative self-concept. Wendy was trained at the Center for Mindful Self Compassion as a MSC teacher and would love to guide you to be more kind with yourself.

Mindfulness Meditation is used regularly within Wendy’s practice to help people cope with stress and anxiety. Many scientific studies have indicated Mindfulness Meditation benefits depression, anxiety, fibromyalgia, irritable bowel syndrome, psoriasis, and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In this time of excessive stress, Mindfulness Meditation can provide a welcome respite.

~ Teleheath services are available. ~

Lets begin with a definition of PTSD.

Mental health professionals use the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Health Disorders 5 (DSM-5) in order to determine what a person is experiencing and thereby guide how to help them. With PTSD we first of all want to determine if there is an actual trauma. Here is a list of what is considered trauma according to the DSM-5:

A. The person was exposed to: death, threatened death, actual or threatened serious injury, or actual or threatened sexual violence, as follows:

1. Direct exposure

2. Witnessing, in person

3. Indirectly, by learning that a close relative or close friend was exposed to trauma. If the event involved actual or threatened death, it must have been violent or accidental.

4. Repeated or extreme indirect exposure to aversive details of the event(s), usually in the course of professional duties (e.g., first responders collecting body parts, professionals repeatedly exposed to details of child abuse, etc.) This does not include indirect non-professional exposure through electronic media, television, movies or pictures.

Once it is determined that the person has experienced a trauma then we need to see if they have all the symptoms of PTSD. It is important to note that not all people who are exposed to a trauma have PTSD. The symptoms of PTSD are as follows:

B. Intrusion symptoms

C. Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma

D. Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that are associated with the traumatic event

E. Alterations in arousal and reactivity that are associated with the traumatic event.

Let’s look at these above categories a bit more closely.

What does the phrase “Intrusion symptoms” mean? With the clients I see, this usually looks like memories resurfacing when they don’t want them to. This can happen when people relax and often happens before falling to sleep. Also, memories may pop up in dreams or nightmares and disrupt sleep.

The next category is, “Persistent avoidance of stimuli associated with the trauma.” This can include avoiding thoughts about the trauma, emotions connected to the trauma or physical reminders of the trauma.

To avoid thoughts about the trauma people may avoid talking about their military experience, they may avoid socializing, they may drink alcohol excessively, they may work excessive hours in strenuous jobs and/or they may exercise excessively. This category also includes avoiding certain emotions and avoiding physical reminders. The physical reminders include: military bases, helicopters, Vietnamese restaurants, Middle Eastern restaurants or people, children, or anything to which the trauma is connected.

This next category is, “Negative alterations in cognitions and mood that are associated with the traumatic event.”  After a trauma people with PTSD begin to see the world as a dangerous place or develop a belief that people cannot be trusted. These beliefs can also be directed towards oneself. The changes in mood usually are symptoms of depression including loss of interest in activities one used to enjoy.

The final category is, “Alterations in arousal and reactivity that are associated with the traumatic event.” This one is referring to having an excessive startle response or hypervigilance.

This is merely a brief overview of PTSD. Please do not use this to determine if you have PTSD. If these symptoms sound familiar, please see a mental health professional in your area that is a specialist with PTSD and get a full evaluation.

Historically it was believed that once a person is diagnosed with PTSD they have it forever. This is not true. Very effective treatments have been developed over the past decade that heal PTSD. Many of the people I have worked with have returned to an engaged and meaningful life after just 15 sessions.

You can have a more fulfilling life.

Wendy K. Belding
LMFT, LPCC – TriWest (Choice Act) and TRICARE insurance plans accepted.

 

So many veterans I see have been isolated and alone for years. It may begin as a feeling that it is just too tiring to go out with friends. Perhaps a family function is avoided because people begin to ask about your military service.

This becomes more comfortable over time to avoid these functions and people. Crowds too become irritating and you spend all your time looking for the exits and scanning the environment for potential danger.

Maybe your loved one wants to talk about what is going on with you so you avoid conversations or alone time? The world can become really small for anyone with PTSD. What I really want you to know is that there are effective treatments out there. Yes, they are difficult to do – but look at you. Really look at you. You have been through so much so far. You can do this!!!

You deserve the freedom that you fought for!

Wendy K. Belding
LMFT, LPCC – TriWest (Choice Act) and TRICARE insurance plans accepted.

Many veterans I have worked with have lost someone in combat. As I have come to appreciate, the bond that is developed in a combat situation is impermeable. These people are brothers and sisters for life.

To lose a friend in combat can keep a veteran in a state of purgatory… especially if they believe it is their fault.

Many veterans think back to the time when their buddy died and reevaluate all the things they could have done differently. In therapy we call this “hindsight bias” because at the time we do not know what the outcome is going to be.

Therapy can help reevaluate the context of the situation and help process those heavy guilt feelings.

It can get better!

Wendy K. Belding
LMFT, LPCC – TriWest (Choice Act) and TRICARE insurance plans accepted.