Recent research shows that the memory of trauma is encoded in the body and demands a shift in therapeutic approaches. Treatment must involve teaching and helping people practice skills to identify and effectively deal with hyperarousal and triggers. At The Koch Center, we have therapists who specialize in working with trauma/PTSD. They are adept at helping the person to use skills to not only regulate their emotions but to also become reacquainted with their body and their feelings, as trauma often precipitates a flight-or-fight reaction that results in many feelings being “frozen” in time. This may result in a negative impact both on mood as well as upon relationships.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), originated by Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., is a type of therapy that is designed to help individuals who have difficulty in regulating their emotions. We often integrate the four skill areas in DBT in helping a person to begin to feel in control of their emotions and to deal with them effectively.

There are four skill modules in DBT:
Core Mindfulness: These skills teach patients to retrain their focus to the here and now in order to help them attain attentional and emotional control.
Distress Tolerance: Tolerating distress is one of the most difficult tasks people need to learn. This skill set teaches individuals how to cope with and distract themselves during moments of overwhelming emotion and during a crisis.
Emotion Regulation: Individuals are taught the basic components of feelings, as well as means to enhance and more fully enjoy positive emotions, while concurrently decreasing and tolerating negative feelings.
Interpersonal Effectiveness: The aim of these skills is to teach individuals the basics of interpersonal interactions including how to ask for help from others, how to assert one’s needs, and how to express one’s self in a manner that others can readily respond to.

Trauma healing also benefits from being taught a broad array of safe coping skills in order to manage trauma and PTSD symptoms. The use of Mindfulness along with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) focuses on building the necessary and specific skills needed to heal from trauma, such as boundary setting, self-care, and creating meaning in life.

The road to health involves an initial intake assessment. At this intake assessment, the therapist will ask you questions about your situation, the types of problems you are experiencing, your personal and family history and other relevant information. Following your intake assessment, our treatment team will devise a treatment plan based on the information provided during the assessment, as well as information provided by (with your consent) other current or past treatment providers.

To make an appointment, please call Dr. Cyndi Koch at (201) 670-6450 ext. 1 or email us at info@thekochcenter.com.