Trauma Defined:  Physical trauma and psychological trauma are inseparable.  Although physical trauma can be life threatening and may require immediate medical intervention, the potential severity of psychological trauma is not to be minimized.  Trauma affects the entire person from nerves and tissues to emotions and thoughts—neither can be treated in isolation from the other.  Trauma can have emotional effects even if there is no physical injury.  Being an eyewitness to injury or violence—observing another person being killed or severely injured or seeing a loved one being physically abused—can be traumatic.  A single exposure can be traumatizing or repeated exposure over a number of years can be equally traumatizing.  Severe symptoms can appear immediately without relenting or they can be delayed in appearance without reduction in severity.  Living with a person who has a history of trauma or who may have been diagnosed with “PTSD” (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) can produce “Secondary Trauma” with symptoms similar to those of individuals who have histories of first-hand exposure to life-threatening events. 

Treatment for the Emotional Effects of Trauma:  The Trauma Team at Rock Landing Psychological Group is a multidisciplinary team with a licensed clinical psychologist, licensed social workers and licensed professional counselors as members.  Psychiatric consultation is available on site.  Members of the team have had experience or special training in the following treatment modalities among others:

In addition, some members of the team have special training in “Crisis Debriefing,” an approach to minimizing the potential for the development of severe symptoms of trauma following a traumatic event, such as bank robbery, auto accident, domestic violence, natural disaster and so on.  Survivors of the 911 incident who received crisis debriefing within a few days of the event seem to have had fewer symptoms of less severity than those who did not receive such an intervention. 

How to contact The Trauma Team:  Call Rock Landing Psychological Group at 757-873-1736 and tell the person who answers that you have a concern about whether you or another person might have trauma-related emotional difficulties.  If the call is received Monday through Thursday, an appointment can be made for you to see one of the members of the team within 24-hours.  Please let the person know if the call is for “Crisis Debriefing” so that a member of the team can respond even more quickly.