Several kinds of trauma therapy are available in Sarasota, and the research is clear about which ones work best for post-traumatic stress. Three structured talk therapies carry the strongest recommendation: prolonged exposure, cognitive processing therapy and EMDR. Here is what each one involves, how long treatment usually takes, and how to choose a therapist here.
Do you need trauma therapy, or will it pass?
Most people who go through something frightening have some reactions afterward. Bad dreams, jumpiness, replaying what happened, steering clear of the place where it happened. For many people those reactions ease with time, and not everyone who lives through a dangerous event develops PTSD 1.
The line clinicians draw is about how long it lasts and how much it gets in the way. Symptoms usually begin within 3 months of the event but sometimes show up later, and to meet the criteria for PTSD they have to last longer than a month and be severe enough to interfere with relationships or work 1. If that describes you, it is worth talking to someone.
It is also more common than most people assume. An estimated 3.6 percent of U.S. adults had PTSD in the past year, with the rate higher in women (5.2 percent) than in men (1.8 percent) 2.
The trauma therapies with the strongest evidence
In 2023 the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the Department of Defense revised their joint guideline on treating PTSD. Of its 34 recommendations, six on treatment were rated strong, and it recommends specific structured talk therapies over medication 3. Three therapies are named.
Prolonged exposure
Exposure therapy helps people learn to manage fear by facing the trauma gradually and in a safe way. In practice that can mean thinking or writing about what happened, or visiting the place where it happened 1.
Cognitive processing therapy
This one works on the conclusions trauma leaves behind. People sometimes remember an event differently from how it happened, or carry guilt and shame for something that was not their fault, and cognitive work helps them think about what happened in a realistic way 1.
EMDR
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is the third therapy the guideline names 3. Like the other two, it follows a set protocol, so a therapist is either trained in it or is not. That makes it a fair, specific question to ask anyone you are considering.
You will also hear the broader term cognitive behavioral therapy. It is a common type of therapy for PTSD and can include both exposure work and cognitive restructuring 1.
How long does trauma therapy take?
Treatment can happen one on one or in a group, and it usually lasts 6 to 12 weeks, though it can run longer 1. Some therapies go straight at the PTSD symptoms. Others focus on what trauma has done to family life, friendships or work 1. Your therapist should be able to tell you which they are doing and why.
Storm season and trauma on the Gulf Coast
This week marks two years since Hurricane Milton came ashore near Siesta Key on October 9, 2024, with Helene still fresh in everyone’s memory. For a lot of people in Sarasota and Manatee, a storm is not a single event. It is a pattern that comes back every summer.
That matters clinically. A survey of 1,637 Florida residents after Hurricanes Irma and Michael found that repeated exposure to hurricanes, whether direct, indirect or through the media, was linked with more posttraumatic stress symptoms and more trouble functioning day to day 4. The authors suggest repeated storms may sensitize people to respond with more symptoms over time 4.
So if a forecast cone, the sound of wind against the windows, or a drive past a rebuilt street still knocks you sideways, you are not imagining it. Words, objects and situations that recall an event are known triggers 1, and storm reminders are hard to avoid on this coast. A disaster is one of the events that can lead to PTSD 1, and the therapies above are the same ones used for it.
How to choose a trauma therapist in Sarasota
Ask which approach the therapist uses for trauma and whether they have been trained in it. A clear answer is a good sign. A vague one is worth a follow up question.
Ask whether sessions can happen by video. The 2023 guideline recommends secure video for delivering recommended therapy when that therapy has been validated for video, or when other options are not available 3. For anyone who finds the drive or the waiting room hard, that is a real option rather than a compromise.
Then pay attention to fit. You will be telling this person things you may never have said out loud, and it is reasonable to want someone you can say them to.
Getting started at MindSol
MindSol Wellness Center is an outpatient therapy practice at 715 N. Washington Blvd, Suite E in downtown Sarasota. Our therapists work with people dealing with the effects of physical, emotional and sexual abuse, assault, accidents and other traumatic events. You can read more about trauma therapy in Sarasota and about PTSD treatment at MindSol before you get in touch.
Sessions are in the office or by secure video anywhere in Florida, and our page on virtual therapy in Florida explains how that works. The first step is a short call with a care coordinator, who will ask what is going on and match you with a therapist who treats trauma.
Frequently asked questions
Do I have to talk about the trauma in detail?
It depends on the approach. Exposure work does involve coming back to the memory, gradually and in a safe way 1. Cognitive work spends more of its time on what the event left you believing. If this worries you, say so on the first call. It is a sensible thing to want to know before you start.
Is it too late if it happened years ago?
No. Symptoms sometimes appear well after the event 1, and plenty of people come to therapy for something that happened a long time ago. What counts is how it is affecting you now.
Can trauma therapy be done online?
Yes. The VA and Department of Defense guideline recommends secure video to deliver recommended therapy in the right circumstances 3. At MindSol you can choose the office or secure video.
How many sessions will I need?
Your therapist will give you a straight answer once they have met you. As a general guide, psychotherapy for PTSD usually runs 6 to 12 weeks and can last longer 1.
References
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, National Institute of Mental Health
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Statistics, National Institute of Mental Health
- The Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder: Synopsis of the 2023 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guideline
- Association Between Repeated Exposure to Hurricanes and Mental Health in a Representative Sample of Florida Residents
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