Question: Is emdr the best therapy for PTSD? I was the victim of a violent home invasion 2 months ago and I can see that I am not getting over this in fact I am getting worse. My GP has prescribed me with Xanax but I am not sure I want to go down that road if I can avoid it.

Loren Gelberg-Goff Says...:

I am so sorry for this experience in your life... EMDR has been shown to help people get past trauma as has EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique)  Deciding what therapy is best often depends on what symptoms you are having since that traumatic event.  Anxiety, panic, nightmares, etc... If you haven't spoken with a therapist yet, that might also be a good place to start to really assess the best intervention... Hypnotherapy can also be effective.  You have options, as long as your goal is to take back your power.  Neurofeedback can also be very helpful in overcoming the stress/anxiety reactions that your body and mind are experiencing. 

I hope that these suggestions are helpful to you.  I wish you success in overcoming this trauma.  Loren (www.beingwellwithin.com)

Question: I think I am still dealing with the after effects of a very scary attack that I witnessed when I was a small girl. I saw my mother getting very badly beaten when I was 5 and I can still recall the images of that horrible scene even today. Maybe this sounds absurd but I think that my trauma over that event has cast a shadow over my life since then. I was never as happy a child after that and I was always very anxious about my mom’s safety. Even today I think that that single event has made it hard for me to trust people enough to really get close and have normal relationships. I think I need to deal with this. I probably should have been in some kind of therapy 17 years ago but hopefully its still better late than never. What kind of therapy do I need so that I can get past this?

Loren Gelberg-Goff Says...:

I am sorry for what you experienced, and hope that you will find the therapy that is right for you so that you can let go of the hold that this event has had on you.  You actually have a  number of choices for therapeutic intervention that can prove to be helpful.  It's not too late, it's the right time because now is when you are ready to make some changes in your life.  If you're ready, then you have options... I'm listing some here, and you can call  or e-mail me if you have any additional questions or concerns. 

1. Talk therapy... It is helpful to talk about the events that you witnessed to get a different perspective... Your mother survived, which is a really good thing and what needs to be viewed as a strength... coming out victorious after an attack.  Also through talk therapy you'll be able to explore the impact that this event has had and continues to have on your life.  Learning to understand the beliefs that you adopted into your psyche and how to change them is a big part of your healing.

2. EMDR_ (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing ) this therapy has been shown to be very effective in healing past traumas and creating new and more positive behaviors going forward.

3. Hypnotherapy- very effective therapeutic intervention to heal the emotional trauma of past events.  Hypnotherapy is very powerful in helping to heal your body, mind and spirit...

4. EFT (Emotional Freedom Therapy) also known as "tapping"... This is getting a lot of press lately, and many people find it very helpful in healing traumas and the ensuing habits and beliefs that come with it. 

I offer talk therapy and hypnotherapy in my office.  I hope that the above suggestions get you started in obtaining the help you need and deserve so that you can live your life truly empowered and fulfilled... I wish you all the best, Loren (www.wellfromwithin.com)

Question: THE VICTIM OF A VIOLENT HOME INVASION. NOW I CANNOT SLEEP BECAUSE I SPEND MY NIGHTS WAITING AND CHECKING STRAINING TO HEAR THE SHOUNDS OF AN INTRUDER. I AM THINKING ABOUT GETTING A GUN BUT I AM NOT A GUN PERSON AND I HAVE NEVER WANTED ONE BECAUSE I HAVE 2 SMALL CHILDREN. WILL I FEEL MORE RELAXED ONCE I AM ARMED? OR SINCE THIS IS MOSTLY IN HEAD (I KNOW I AM ACTING CRAZY) WILL GETTING READY TO DEFEND MYSELF EVEN HELP?

Loren Gelberg-Goff Says...:

I am so sorry that your safety and security have been violated.  Your boundaries and sensibilities have been breached, and you deserve to feel safe.  I agree that getting a gun is NOT the answer.  It is more important that you do things to increase your safety... an alarm system that is connected to your local police department is a good start.  Taking a self defense class is an option as well... this increases one's self confidence and internal feelings of security.  Additionally, getting therapy for Post Traumatic Stress would be helpful to reduce your inner stress and tension.  Walking around fearful and anxious, especially in your own home where you need and deserve to feel safest undermines your power and your self-esteem.  Helpful treatment modalities for situations such as yours are: hypnotherapy, EMDR, EFT, and you might even benefit from cranio-sacral therapy...

I wish you all the best, and I hope that these suggestions are helpful to you.  All the best, Loren

Question: I was swarmed and attacked by a group of teens/young men almost a year ago and since then I have avoided walking in areas where groups of young people tend to congregate. This has restricted my ability to move freely through the city and I have spent much more time at home over this past year as a result. I was slightly injured in the attack but it was a deeply frightening event. Now I feel anxiety whenever I walk through any public areas and I think that what seemed like prudent common sense for personal safety has morphed into something more nefarious. An attack over a year ago in which I was not badly injured has since left me a virtual prisoner in my own home. I think I have fed my fears over these last months of isolation and now when I try to venture beyond my safety zones things seem very frightening. The price I am paying for personal safety is obviously too high. How can I regain my confidence? Intellectually I know that with a little common sense I am at low risk to experience any kind of assault, but my bodily reactions at the site of any ‘threat’ argue differently.

Loren Gelberg-Goff Says...:

I am so sorry to hear that you were attacked... It is a frightening experience and while you are grateful that you were not seriously injured, you are still holding the fear of that event.  There are a number of things that you can do to reduce the grip this event holds in your life.  Have you done any therapy at all in relation to the attack from last year?  Hypnotherapy, EMDR, EFT and neurofeedback are all really good interventions to help your body release your trauma on a cellular level.  It's great that you have an intellectual awareness of your safety and the reality of your life, so what you need now is help in releasing the emotional hold that it still has. 

I don't know where you live and what services are local for you, but these interventions are widely available, so hopefully you can access the necessary services quickly and easily.  I wish you all the best, and hope for a full recovery.