PTSD Available in Grand Rapids, MI & Surrounding Areas
Have you experienced a traumatic event? Are you suffering from lingering fear and anxiety? Do you feel like you no longer have any control over how you think, feel, and behave?
Posttraumatic stress disorder - also known as PTSD - is a mental health challenge that may occur in individuals who have experienced or witnessed a traumatic event such as a natural disaster, a terrorist act, an act of war, a serious accident, rape, or any other violent personal assault.
It is believed that PTSD affects nearly four percent of the U.S. adult population. While it is usually linked with veterans who’ve experienced combat, PTSD occurs in all people regardless of age, race, nationality, or culture. In fact, women are twice as likely to experience PTSD than men.
What are the Symptoms of PTSD?
People with PTSD often experience intense thoughts and feelings related to their traumatic experiences. These can last for a long time after the initial event. Many people with PTSD also relive the event through flashbacks and nightmares.
People with PTSD often feel intense emotions such as fear, anger, sadness, and detachment from friends, family, and community members. They often avoid people and situations that remind them of the traumatic event. Ordinary sounds or incidents such as a door banging or accidental touch in a crowd may cause a strong and uncontrollable reaction.
The Impact of PTSD on Daily Life
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can deeply affect a person’s ability to function day-to-day. Flashbacks, nightmares, and intrusive thoughts can disrupt sleep and concentration, making work and relationships difficult. Many individuals with PTSD experience hypervigilance, irritability, or emotional numbness, leading to isolation and feelings of disconnection.
Simple tasks can become overwhelming, and previously enjoyable activities may no longer bring joy. This ongoing distress often results in anxiety, depression, or substance use. Without support, PTSD can interfere with nearly every aspect of life. Recognizing these symptoms is a vital step toward healing and finding the support needed to reclaim daily stability.
How Can Treatment Help?
There are a variety of treatments that can be used to treat PTSD. However, there are three specific techniques that are consistently gaining research-based evidence of their effectiveness in successfully treating PTSD.
- Cognitive Processing Therapy – This modality focuses on how a person perceives a traumatic event and processes it. A therapist can help their client work through stuck points, which are certain thoughts related to the trauma that prevents the person from recovering.
- EMDR – EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This technique uses bilateral sensory input such as side-to-side eye movements to stimulate the brain to process difficult thoughts, memories, and emotions.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is a form of talk therapy that focuses on how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are related to one another. The goal of a CBT therapist is to help a client with PTSD return to a place of hope with a greater sense of being in control of their thoughts and behaviors.
Overcoming PTSD
Healing from PTSD is possible with the right support, patience, and tools. Overcoming PTSD means learning to manage triggers, reduce fear and hyperarousal, and reconnect with a sense of safety and self. Therapy provides structured guidance to process traumatic memories without becoming overwhelmed.
It also helps individuals build coping strategies, restore self-confidence, and improve emotional regulation. While recovery is not a linear process, consistent support can lead to powerful breakthroughs.
With commitment and compassionate care, those living with PTSD can reclaim their lives, restore relationships, and build a future grounded in peace and empowerment. You don’t have to go through it alone.
How Second Story Counseling Can Help
Second Story Counseling offers a compassionate, trauma-informed approach to healing PTSD. Our experienced therapists work with clients in Grand Rapids, MI, and surrounding areas to create a safe, supportive space where healing can begin.
We use evidence-based treatments, including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), to help individuals process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact.
Therapy at Second Story Counseling is tailored to meet each client’s unique experience and pace, fostering trust, emotional regulation, and resilience. Whether your trauma is recent or long past, we are here to help you move forward with strength and hope. We proudly work with clients in Grand Rapids, MI, and surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule a consultation.