Insights from Our Founder - Kendra Miguez
Have you experienced a traumatic event or events that continue to haunt you? Do you find yourself reliving the experience through flashbacks? Are you hyper-vigilant to certain triggers or do you sometimes disassociate from reality? If so, you might be experiencing Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a serious condition that affects 7.7 million Americans aged 18 and older. Women, in particular, are twice as likely as men to develop PTSD.
At Colorado Women’s Center, we specialize in helping women process and heal from traumatic events. Trauma is, unfortunately, a part of life, and it comes in many forms. Whether you’ve experienced what’s known as “Big T” traumas—such as natural disasters, serious accidents, or personal assaults—or “Little T” traumas like divorce, job loss, or other overwhelming life difficulties, these experiences can deeply impact your mental health. Regardless of the type or severity, any experience that overwhelms your ability to cope can be stored in your mind and body as trauma.
While most survivors of trauma are able to recover and return to normal functioning over time, others may continue to experience persistent stress reactions that do not go away on their own and may even worsen. These individuals may have developed PTSD.
The most common trauma for women is sexual assault or child sexual abuse, with about one in three women experiencing a sexual assault in her lifetime. Women are also more likely than men to be neglected or abused in childhood, to experience domestic violence, or to suffer the sudden loss of a loved one. These experiences can lead to the development of PTSD, with symptoms that can significantly impair one’s life.
PTSD symptoms typically fall into three categories: re-experiencing the trauma, avoiding reminders of the trauma, and heightened arousal or vigilance. Re-experiencing can occur when the survivor is reminded of the trauma through specific triggers or even random memories. Avoidance symptoms can manifest as isolating oneself from others or feeling emotionally numb. Heightened arousal can include being easily startled, feeling on edge, and experiencing irritability or anger.
At Colorado Women’s Center, we understand PTSD as a complex psychiatric disorder that also affects the body. Individuals suffering from PTSD may develop related issues such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, and problems with memory and cognition. Relationships and social interactions can also be challenging, as symptoms of PTSD can interfere with trust, communication, and problem-solving.
A traumatic event can be overwhelming and difficult to process. Without proper support and treatment, these events can continue to affect you long after they’ve occurred. However, PTSD is treatable, and early intervention can help reduce long-term symptoms. Through trauma therapy at Colorado Women’s Center, we can help you work through the trauma, enabling you to integrate these difficult experiences into your life in a way that promotes healing and growth.
If you are suffering from PTSD, know that healing is possible. We invite you to seek the support you need at Colorado Women’s Center. We offer therapy in our beautifully designed offices in Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Longmont, and Broomfield, and we provide online therapy to support women throughout Colorado. Let us help you on your journey to recovery and reclaiming your life.
