June is National Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Awareness Month
We all experience life’s challenges, but without the resources to cope, struggles can become catastrophic. That’s where StarVista can help.
For more than 55 years, we’ve been empowering people of every age and life stage in San Mateo County with innovative, proven programs that enable prevention, change, and perseverance.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
PTSD is the body and brain’s response to a traumatic event or series of events. The diagnosis can be assigned to anyone above the age of 12-months-old.
In summary, PTSD is characterized as: Exposure to actual or threatened death, serious injury, or sexual assault. Symptoms can be expressed as: Intrusive thoughts and memories, avoidance of any reminders associated with the trauma, significant reactivity, and/or significant and chronic negativity in cognitions and/or mood.
Different people experience trauma in many different ways. Some may experience just one cluster of symptoms; others may experience more than one cluster, or all of them.
There are several different treatment approaches. And psychotherapy can certainly help individuals struggling with, and suffering from, their symptoms of PTSD.
Symptoms
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Intrusive thoughts and memories
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Avoidance of any reminders associated with the trauma
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Significant reactivity
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Significant and chronic negativity in cognitions and/or mood
Possible Treatment Options
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Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
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Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Information provided by StarVista’s Counseling Center Staff
StarVista’s Counseling Center offers support to children, youth, adults, couples and families. If you, or a family member, are looking for new ways to cope with life’s challenges, our professional staff is here to help.
StarVista Counseling Center Pacifica
480 Manor Plaza, Pacifica, CA 94044
StarVista Counseling Center San Mateo
1021 South El Camino Real, San Mateo, CA 94402
For more information or to book a session, please call: (650) 355-8787
Services are provided in person or via tele-health. Sometimes, there is no one in the office during our hours of operation. If you do not have an appointment, please call before dropping by to be sure someone is there to meet with you.
In crisis or need support in San Mateo County?
StarVista’s Crisis Center provides suicide intervention services and programs for San Mateo County residents, including a 24-hour crisis hotline, mobile youth crisis response team, online and text teen crisis support, and educational presentations to the community and schools.
StarVista’s 24/7 Crisis Hotline: 650-579-0350
The StarVista 24/7 Crisis Hotline is open to all ages. If your phone number has an area code other than 650, call the StarVista hotline phone number to be directed to the StarVista Crisis Center.
Teen Crisis Services: Crisis Chat and Text Line
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 4:30pm-9:30pm PST
The teen crisis online chat and text line are free, peer-to-peer services that are accessible from www.sanmatecrisis.org or by texting 650-747-6463.
The StarVista Crisis Center is accredited by the American Association of Suicidology and belongs to the Suicide Prevention Lifeline national network of crisis centers.
Download our wellness bookmark here. Wellness tips provided by the StarVista Crisis Center’s Youth Advisory Board (YAB) ’23 cohort.
