Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) - in Brief
Trauma is the psychological and physiological response to deeply distressing events that overwhelm an individual’s ability to cope. While many people experience trauma during their lifetime, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a specific psychiatric condition that may develop after such experiences.
PTSD is characterized by intrusive memories, heightened arousal, emotional dysregulation, and avoidance behaviours. PTSD can significantly impair day-to-day functioning and long-term health. Globally, an estimated 3.9% of the population has experienced PTSD at some point in their lives, making it a common mental health condition.
Read more: Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
At JB Private Mental Health, we approach trauma and PTSD with discretion, clinical excellence, and a commitment to whole-person care. Our goal is not merely to treat symptoms, but to support meaningful recovery – fostering resilience, integration, and healing.
Treatment option include Trauma-Focused Psychotherapy such as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) & Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET), STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation), and Psychodynamic psychotherapy. The therapeutic process can be supported by pharmacotherapy with antidepressants (SSRIs, SNRIs) and in some cases with antipsychotic medication. Emerging therapies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or psychedelic-assisted therapy (in appropriate contexts, led by experts with extensive experience in this kind of therapy) are available through our trusted partner network.
JB Private Mental Health is committed to absolute privacy and discretion following a holistic state-of-the-art approach on mental and physical health. Considering psychological, physical, social, and cultural dimensions, we ensure a personalized and optimized service.
Book your first screening today and begin your private journey towards excellence in mental and physical health.
Types of Trauma and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Trauma and PTSD are not monolithic. They vary in onset, expression, and severity depending on the nature of the event and the individual’s psychological and biological makeup.
Common subtypes of trauma include:
- Acute Trauma: Results from a single, overwhelming event such as a serious accident, assault, or natural disaster.
- Chronic Trauma: Stems from prolonged exposure to distressing experiences such as domestic abuse, ongoing conflict, or institutional neglect.
- Complex PTSD (C-PTSD): Typically arises from repeated interpersonal trauma over an extended period, particularly in childhood. It often involves profound disruptions in self-concept, emotional regulation, and relational functioning.
- Secondary or Vicarious Trauma: Affects individuals exposed to others’ trauma, such as healthcare professionals, first responders, or family members.
- Combat-Related PTSD: Associated with military service and exposure to war, violence, or loss in operational settings.
Each presentation may coexist with other psychiatric or physical health conditions, requiring nuanced, integrative assessment, a comprehensive diagnostic process and specific expert-led therapeutic interventions.
Key Messages
- Trauma is not a personal failure. It is a neurobiological response to overwhelming experience – and it is treatable.
- PTSD and trauma-related disorders affect people from all walks of life, regardless of background, education, or success.
- Early, individualized intervention can dramatically alter the trajectory of recovery and prevent long-term complications.
- JB Private Mental Health and our partners provide a discreet, expert-led care environment where healing is accelerated by trust, accessibility, and continuity.
- Recovery is possible. Not simply relief from symptoms, but the restoration of meaning, connection, and inner peace.
Symptoms of Trauma-Related Disorders and Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Symptoms of trauma-related disorders can vary widely, often mimicking or co-occurring with anxiety, depression, or somatic complaints.
Core features of PTSD include:
- Intrusive Symptoms: Recurrent, involuntary memories, flashbacks, or distressing dreams related to the traumatic event.
- Avoidance: Active efforts to avoid trauma-related thoughts, feelings, places, or people.
- Cognitive & Mood Changes: Persistent negative beliefs, distorted blame, detachment from others, and loss of interest in activities.
- Arousal and Reactivity Changes: Hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, irritability, difficulty concentrating, and disrupted sleep.
In complex trauma, additional symptoms may include chronic feelings of shame, emotional numbness, identity confusion, and interpersonal dysfunction. At a high-functioning level, individuals may appear composed outwardly while experiencing profound internal distress – underscoring the need for skilled clinical insight.
The spectrum of symptoms may include:
- Difficulty sleeping or relaxing
- Feeling nervous, irritable, tense or restless
- Excessive worrying
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Shortness of breath
- Arrhythmia or heart palpitations (feelings of having a fast beating, fluttering or pounding heart)
- Sweating, trembling or shaking
- Fainting or temporary loss of consciousness
- Agitation or a feeling of impending doom
- Difficulty concentrating or making everyday decisions
Causes & Risk Factors:
The development of PTSD and trauma-related conditions is influenced by a constellation of genetic, environmental, psychological, and physiological factors:
- Nature and Trauma Severity: Events involving personal violation, loss, helplessness, or perceived threat to life carry higher risk.
- Early Life Adversity: Childhood abuse, neglect, or disrupted attachment are strongly correlated with long-term trauma responses.
- Pre-existing Mental Health Conditions: Depression, anxiety, addiction/substance use disorders, personality disorders or previous trauma exposure increase vulnerability.
- Neurobiological Susceptibility: Alterations in stress-response systems (e.g., the HPA axis) and brain structures such as the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex.
- Lack of Social Support: The absence of a protective relational environment post-trauma can hinder emotional processing and recovery.
At JB Private Mental Health, we utilize advanced diagnostic tools, trauma-informed assessments, and integrative health data to fully map each individual’s risk, resilience, and optimal treatment path.
Treatment Options
The treatment of trauma and PTSD must be as personalized and multifaceted as the condition itself. Evidence-based, compassionate care delivered in a private and personalized setting allows for optimal healing and empowerment.
Treatment options include:
- Trauma-Focused Psychotherapy:
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing): An widely validated therapy that facilitates the reprocessing of traumatic memories.
- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE): Gold-standard psychotherapies that reduce trauma-related distress.
- Narrative Exposure Therapy (NET): A structured, short-term psychological intervention designed to treat individuals suffering from trauma-related disorders, particularly Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Developed for survivors of multiple or complex traumatic experiences such as war, torture, or chronic abuse, NET helps patients process traumatic memories by integrating them into a coherent, chronological life narrative.
- STAIR (Skills Training in Affective and Interpersonal Regulation): An evidence-based, trauma-informed psychotherapy designed to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and complex trauma, particularly in individuals with difficulties in emotional regulation and interpersonal functioning.
- Internal Family Systems (IFS) and Somatic Experiencing: Useful in complex trauma, focusing on inner parts, bodily awareness, and emotional integration.
- Psychodynamic psychotherapy: Used to address unconscious patterns and deep-rooted trauma.
- Pharmacotherapy: Selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are first-line treatment, with other options (e.g., prazosin for nightmares, SNRIs, atypical antipsychotics) tailored to symptom profiles and tolerability.
- Neurobiological Interventions: Emerging therapies such as transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) or psychedelic-assisted therapy (in appropriate contexts, led by experts with experience in this kind of therapy) are available through our trusted partner network.
- Integrative and Lifestyle Medicine: Nutritional psychiatry, restorative sleep programs, yoga, breathwork, and mindful movement are integrated into care as appropriate.
- Relational and Family Support: Trauma affects not only individuals, but also their support systems. We offer consultation and coaching to help families support recovery effectively and compassionately.
JB Private Mental Health enables precise coordination of these modalities, with close monitoring and flexibility to adapt in real-time as healing progresses.