Marriage Counseling in VT: Working Through PTSD

When someone refers to Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), your mind might immediately conjure up a picture of  combat veterans. It’s a serious condition and it is often related to war. What many of us overlook, however, is that PTSD manifests in many forms and can result  from many different kinds of experiences. It doesn’t originate only from the aftermath of battle.

In a sense, we’re all experiencing trauma in varying degrees throughout our lives. Violence can be part of that, but emotional conflict, past relationships, financial struggle and many other tough situations can lead to stress, anxiety, depression and other symptoms. Whether or not you choose to use the acronym PTSD—or whether you meet the clinical definition—may not be the point. Your symptoms are real and can affect the way you interact with the world around you.

When our therapists offer marriage counseling to Vermont couples, we often see the effects of past trauma. That trauma may have occurred  in the relationship or in childhood, and the lasting effects may be visible to your partner and your therapist. If the symptoms caused by past trauma are recurring and are disruptive, it could  be time to explore the causes and results in talk therapy.

It’s important to note that trauma does not have a cure in the way some medical conditions do. We can’t turn the clock back on trauma and eliminate it, but that doesn’t mean we can’t explore the causes of trauma and create solutions to mitigate the after effects.

If you’re experiencing conflict in a relationship, it may be time to ask yourself and your partner if you’ve reached a point where talk therapy is a good option. Could a neutral party (the therapist) help you explore the past and assist you in finding a better way to proceed into the future? If marriage counseling in VT is something you’re considering, get in touch. We can explain how it works and how it can help.

_{*Each individual’s circumstances are unique. The content of the Vermont Talk Therapy blog is intended to provide general information and should not be taken as therapeutic advice. To begin therapy or discuss your specific needs, get in touch with the therapists of Vermont Talk Therapy.}