Lauren Walls has lived with panic attacks, nightmares and flashbacks for years. The 26-year-old San Antonio teacher sought help from a variety of mental health professionals — including spending five years and at least $20,000 with one therapist who used a Christian-faith-based approach, viewing her condition as part of a spiritual weakness that could be conquered — but her symptoms worsened. She hit a breaking point two years ago, when she contemplated suicide.
Walls was fortunate to find a therapist trained to treat PTSD. Outside of military and veterans’ health facilities, finding knowledgeable help is often difficult. Nonetheless, the VA’s National Center for PTSD wants to expand access to these treatments, and regional groups, including those in Texas, are following its lead. Texas has a need for more PTSD providers: It ranks No.
“I would just do what I know and do my own reading,” Friedel said. “And what I was taught in graduate school, which was, like, over 20 years ago.” Indeed, some people living with PTSD have complained that the treatments don’t work for everyone. But Foa and others argue the focused approach targets the brain’s mechanisms that cause PTSD symptoms, and symptom relief is what many living with PTSD want.
KHNews My wife specializes in emdr training, and she has an opening
KHNews This is the toll discrimination & violence against marginalized populations takes. It would for anybody, but the abusers don't care. Whether it's at home, or on the street by bigoted & violent people, the result is the same. It's mental & emotional terror.
KHNews So do Veterans. INSIDE of military and veterans’ health facilities, finding knowledgeable help is often difficult.
KHNews I gave up