Friends & family speaker series: ptsd
Last week, Coronado had an opportunity to learn about PTSD and how it impacts the whole family. Dr. Julianne Demery spoke about PTSD Family Caregiver Support as part of Safe Harbor Coronado’s Mental Wellness Month Speaker Series. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition that can develop following a terrifying or life-threatening event either through experiencing it or witnessing it. Dr. Demery discussed the cycle of PTSD, explaining how the brain creates and reinforces pairings. These pairings can include cognitive, emotional, and physiological responses that become subconsciously cemented into experiences when those who have experienced trauma avoid distressing stimuli. “PTSD affects approximately 3.5 percent of U.S. adults every year, and an estimated one in 11 people will be diagnosed with PTSD in their lifetime. Women are twice as likely as men to have PTSD.” (American Psychiatric Association).
There is hope for those individuals and their families, various therapies can be utilized for treatments to alleviate symptoms associated with PTSD. These treatments include Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). A Question-and-Answer session followed Dr. Demery's presentation, allowing a deeper exchange to take place. Discussion included tools to de-escalate behaviors from loved ones living with PTSD, and how to know when to seek professional assistance.
Safe Harbor Coronado proudly collaborates with experts to bring to bring important topics to our community. LT Demery works as a Navy Clinical Psychologist and the Division Officer for Adult Outpatient Mental Health at Balboa Naval Medical Center and is a member of the Safe Harbor Coronado Programs Committee.
JOIN US for more events in May during Mental Wellness Month including our next speaker series, Mental Health in Athletes. Go to SafeHarborCoronado.org or call us 619-522-6884 to learn more and to sign up for our newsletter. Follow us on social media @safeharborcoronado.