Often Coaching services can provide just what is needed for exploring what may be needed using your personal strengths, knowledge, and experience that hasn’t been tapped into for determining what positively can occur. As a former Professional Business Manager and Director, I gained valuable experience through mentoring, coaching, and consulting to obtain insight into what skills I already possessed to make the necessary changes not only in myself, yet to provide positiveness in the areas where I worked.

Professionally, I have provided, through coaching while working with a client, a path to wellness they chose. The individuals were somewhat stuck in their life, uncertain of just how to make the necessary changes or where to look for the necessary tools needed for the change they needed or wanted to make. Through determining short and long term goals, checking out resources, having accountability not only to their coach, yet to others, and having a plan, my clients truly made wonderful strides in their wellness path, the relationships with spouses, co-workers, teens, or others changed, and a sense of balance and direction became evident. As a Patient Educator working in Medical Practices and being associated with various clinics, coaching in various areas was beneficial for the client.

Beginning March 1, 2012, Life, Personal, and Professional Coaching services will be available in the practice. Sessions are being scheduled now with me for work beginning in the next couple of weeks. I will be able to work with you in various areas toward reaching the goals and plans you so desire, your plans and desires. Sessions are contracted for periods of three months, six months, nine months or one year depending upon the needs of my client. Sessions are available by phone, in person, or via Skype with mid session check-ins should that be needed. Life and Personal Development Groups will be started in April, 2012 so check back to dates and times for one sessions seminars or multi-week groups involving coaching processes.

Coaching is not the same as mental health counseling. The differences are coaching is not related to a mental health disorder, counseling is a process of working with a mental health disorder that has been diagnosed. Coaching is a process where the client guides the process-their process whereas counseling is guided by the therapist and evidence based practices. Coaching sessions are set with the length of time determined upon by the client and their personal needs yet counseling sessions are determined by the insurance carrier, the EAP service provider, and the evidence based time frame set forth as guidances for wellness and change.

So, what changes are you wanting to make this year, when those resolutions for 2012 just haven’t kicked in just yet? What is holding you back? What has you “stuck” and unable to move forward? Do you need assistance in developing goals, learning to make positive plans, and gain insight to the strengths and potential that you, and you alone, possess? Do you need a wellness plan for reducing stress, managing your time, or to improve relationships?

You may call (843) 240-9446 to speak with me to schedule your free consultation, email me at klfcounseling@gmail.com or visit the new web area just for coaching at kathylfortnercoaching.com.

This month marks the end of Daylight Saving Time for much of the country. For some it means an extra hour of “shut-eye” while others will bemoan the fact that it’ll be dark outside by the time they leave work.  Either way, the transition from late autumn to winter can affect people’s mood, health and body clocks, as well as sleep patterns. In fact, this time of year and the expectation of long winter nights for some can lead to symptoms of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD). Symptoms of SAD are usually the same as with depression and may include

• Increased appetite with weight gain (weight loss is more common with other forms of depression)
• Increased sleep and daytime sleepiness (too little sleep is more common with other forms of depression)
• Less energy and ability to concentrate in the afternoon
• Loss of interest in work or other activities
• Slow, sluggish, lethargic movement
• Social withdrawal
• Unhappiness and irritability, grumpiness
• Crave more carbohydrates

According to another item in the Web MD web article on SAD, symptoms come and go at about the same time each year. For most people with SAD, symptoms start in September or October and end in April or May. As noted in a recent Web MD article, from 2010, Seasonal Affective Disorder, or SAD, is a type of depression that affects a person during the same season each year. If you get depressed in the winter but feel much better in spring and summer, you may have SAD.

Anyone can get SAD, but it is more common in:

People who live in areas where winter days are very short or there are big changes in the amount of daylight in different seasons.                                                   

Women.

People between the ages of 15 and 55. The risk of getting SAD for the first time goes down as you age.

People who have a close relative with SAD.

What causes SAD?

Experts are not sure what causes SAD, but they think it may be caused by a lack of sunlight. Lack of light may upset your sleep-wake cycle and other circadian rhythms. And it may cause problems with a brain chemical called serotonin that affects mood.

How is SAD diagnosed?

Further discussed in this informative Web MD article, it can sometimes be hard to tell the difference between nonseasonal depression and SAD, because many of the symptoms are the same. To diagnose SAD, your doctor will want to know if:

• You have been depressed during the same season and have gotten better when the seasons changed for at least 2 years in a row.
• You have symptoms that often occur with SAD, such as being very hungry (especially craving carbohydrates), gaining weight, and sleeping more than usual.
• A close relative-a parent, brother, or sister-has had SAD.

How is it treated?

Doctors often prescribe light therapy to treat SAD. There are two types of light therapy:

• Bright light treatment. For this treatment, you sit in front of a “light box” for half an hour or longer, usually in the morning.
• Dawn simulation. For this treatment, a dim light goes on in the morning while you sleep, and it gets brighter over time, like a sunrise.

Light therapy works well for most people with SAD, and it is easy to use. You may start to feel better within a week or so after you start light therapy. But you need to stick with it and use it every day until the season changes. If you don’t, your depression could come back.

Other treatments that may help include:

• Antidepressants. These medicines can improve the balance of brain chemicals that affect mood.
• Counseling. Some types of counseling, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, can help you learn more about SAD and how to manage your symptoms.

If your doctor prescribes antidepressants, be sure you take them the way you are told to. Do not stop taking them just because you feel better. This could cause side effects or make your depression worse. When you are ready to stop, your doctor can help you slowly reduce the dose to prevent problems.

You may feel better if you get regular exercise. Being active during the daytime, especially first thing in the morning, may help you have more energy and feel less depressed. Moderate exercise such as walking, riding a stationary bike, or swimming is a good way to get started.

Because your mental health is as important as your physical health, KLF Counseling and Consulting, PA and Wilcox Psychiatric Solutions provides 24/7, anonymous online self-assessments to check for symptoms of depression and other mood and anxiety disorders.  The screenings are available at:

http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/klfcounseling.

 Take a step toward healthy living both by day and night and take a screening.  You will receive immediate, customized feedback as well as the opportunity to schedule an appointment for further evaluation if necessary.

 Here are some resources that may help you get better sleep, learn more about depression, improved mental health,

 Information about Getting Better Sleep

http://www.dbsalliance.org/site/PageServer?pagename=about_publications_sleepless

 Determine Your Personal Circadian Rhythm

http://www.cet-surveys.org/Dialogix/servlet/Dialogix?schedule=3&DIRECTIVE=

 Sleep Hygiene Information

http://familymedicine.tufts.edu/pdf/Sleep-Hygiene.pdf

http://prtl.uhcl.edu/portal/page/portal/COS/Self_Help_and_Handouts/Files_and_Documents/Sleep%20Health.pdf

In a classroom of 30 children or youth, it is likely that at least two students are affected by ADHD. This surprisingly common condition makes it hard for children and youth to control their behavior (sit still, think before speaking or acting, etc.) and/or to pay attention. If left untreated, it can lead to school or job difficulties, depression, relationship problems, and substance abuse.

What Is ADHD?

There are three types of ADHD: the hyperactive-impulsive type, the inattentive type, and a type that is a combination of both. The severity of ADHD varies among children, even siblings, so no two children will have exactly the same symptoms. Also, you may hear that girls have lower rates and less severe cases of the disorder than boys. More research is needed on this subject, but girls may have lower rates of the hyperactive type. Signs of the hyperactive and inattentive types are as follows:

Hyperactive-Impulsive

• Feeling restless, often fidgeting with hands or feet, or squirming while seated;

• Running, climbing, or getting up in situations where sitting or quiet behavior is expected;

• Blurting out answers before hearing the whole question; and

• Having difficulty waiting in line or taking turns.

Inattentive

• May appear to not be listening or seems easily distracted by irrelevant sights and sounds;

• Often failing to pay attention to details, and making careless mistakes;

• Rarely following instructions carefully, and often losing or forgetting things like

toys, pencils, books, or other tools needed for a task; and

• Often skipping from one uncompleted activity to another. Experts believe that in some cases, heredity plays a role in whether or not a child has ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD are first seen in children before age 6 and may cause problems at home, at school, or in relationships. Sometimes, it is hard to tell if a child has ADHD because symptoms can be mistaken for typical childhood behaviors or other mental health issues, and ADHD often occurs at the same time that other conditions are present. Equally important are the roles that a family’s culture and language play in how causes and symptoms are perceived and then described to a mental health care provider. Misperceptions and misunderstandings can lead to delayed diagnoses, misdiagnoses, or no diagnoses—which are serious problems when a child needs help. That is why only qualified health care or mental health care providers can diagnose ADHD, and why it is important that supports be in place to bridge differences in language and culture.

What Happens After an ADHD Diagnosis?

If a qualified health care or mental health care provider has diagnosed your child with ADHD, he or she may suggest several different treatment options, including a combination of strategies for managing behaviors, medications, and talk therapy. Your child’s health care or mental health care provider may also suggest enrolling in a system of care, if one is available.

More information about ADHD, including common treatments, is available from your health care or mental health care providers. A list of resources on ADHD is on the back of this fact sheet.

What Is a System of Care?

A system of care is a coordinated network of community-based services and supports that are organized to meet the challenges of children and youth with serious mental health needs and their families. Families—as well as children and youth—work in partnership with public and private organizations so services and supports are effective, build on the strengths of individuals, and address each person’s cultural and linguistic needs. Specifically, a system of care can help by:

• Tailoring services to the unique needs of your child and family;

• Making services and supports available in your language and connecting you with professionals who respect your values and beliefs;

• Encouraging you and your child to play as much of a role in the design of a treatment plan as you want; and

• Providing services from within your community, whenever possible.

Are Systems of Care Effective?

National data collected for more than a decade support what families in systems of care have been saying: Systems of care work. Data from systems of care related to children and youth with ADHD reflect the following:

• Children and youth demonstrate improvement in emotional and behavioral functioning.

• Children and youth with ADHD have fewer contacts with the juvenile justice system after enrolling in a system of care.

• Children and youth with ADHD improve in school related tasks, such as paying attention in class, taking notes, and completing assignments on time.

This information has been provided by SAMSHA.gov

Below are some links to more information on ADHD

http://www.adhdawarenessweek.org/

Survey: Awareness Week

https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/ADHDAwarenessWeek2011

http://help4adhd.org/en/treatment/guides/keycomponents

Help for ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK7.pdf

Succeeding in College

http://www.help4adhd.org/documents/WWK13.pdf

Women and ADHD

http://www.help4adhd.org/documents/WWK19.pdf

Teens and ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK20A.pdf

Parents of Teens with ADHD

http://help4adhd.org/documents/WWK20B.pdf

The 8 week group will focus on individuals going through the divorce process. 

For further information, contact the practice by calling (843) 652-5532, option 5, leaving a message or email jhucks@klfcounseling.com.  

Space is limited, yet if there is enough demand, an additional evening will be added to meet the needs of the community.
The group will be led by Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC.

Although depression is an illness that affects both men and women, depression can manifest itself differently among the sexes.  While women usually internalize distress and reach out for help, depressed men often act out and turn distress into aggression.

Men are also more likely to self-medicate by working excessively, abusing alcohol or drugs, and withdrawing from loved ones.  Often, men will experience depression without feeling sad, and are often less likely to ask for help, which makes it more difficult for doctors to diagnose.

Depression affects one in five women over the course of a lifetime, but can present different symptoms depending on her age.  Throughout a woman’s life, she will experience a range of emotional highs and lows trying to balance work, relationships and personal health.

KLF Counseling & Consulting, PA (Kathy L. Fortner, EdS, LPC, NCC) and Wilcox Psychiatric Services (Michael D. Wilcox, MD, PhD) is offering you the opportunity to take a screening for a variety of common mental health conditions, including a screening to take on behalf of your child.  The screenings are free, anonymous, and only take a few minutes.  To complete a screening please visit:  http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/klfcounseling.    

Results received after the screening, if positive, may need to be discussed and reviewed with a psychiatrist, primary care physician, pediatrician, or internal medicine specialist to determine the most appropriate care for you, your child, or family member.

Questions and Answers about Cognitive Therapy

By Judith S. Beck, Ph.D., Director of the Beck Institute

Q: What is cognitive therapy?
A: Cognitive therapy is one of the few forms of psychotherapy that has been scientifically tested and found to be effective in over three hundred clinical trials for many different disorders. In contrast to other forms of psychotherapy, cognitive therapy is usually more focused on the present, more time-limited, and more problem-solving oriented. Indeed, much of what the patient does is solve current problems. In addition, patients learn specific skills that they can use for the rest of their lives. These skills involve identifying distorted thinking, modifying beliefs, relating to others in different ways, and changing behaviors.

Q: What is the theory behind cognitive therapy?

A: Cognitive therapy is based on the cognitive model, which is, simply that the way we perceive situations influences how we feel emotionally. For example, one person reading this pamphlet might think, “Wow! This sounds good, it’s just what I’ve always been looking for!” and feels happy. Another person reading this information might think, “Well, this sounds good but I don’t think I can do it.” This person feels sad and discouraged. So it is not a situation which directly affects how a person feels emotionally, but rather, his or her thoughts in that situation. When people are in distress, they often do not think clearly and their thoughts are distorted in some way. Cognitive therapy helps people to identify their distressing thoughts and to evaluate how realistic the thoughts are. Then they learn to change their distorted thinking. When they think more realistically, they feel better. The emphasis is also consistently on solving problems and initiating behavioral change.

Q: What can I do to get ready for therapy?

A: An important first step is to set goals. Ask yourself, “How would I like to be different by the end of therapy?” Think specifically about changes you’d like to make at work, at home, in your relationships with family, friends, co-workers, and others. Think about what symptoms have been bothering you and which you’d like to decrease or eliminate. Think about other areas that would improve your life: pursuing spiritual/intellectual/cultural interests, increasing exercise, decreasing bad habits, learning new interpersonal skills, improving management skills at work or at home. The therapist will help you evaluate and refine these goals and help you determine which goals you might be able to work at on your own and which ones you might want to work on in therapy.

Q: What happens during a typical therapy session?

A: Even before your therapy session begins, your therapist may have you fill out certain forms to assess your mood. Depression, Anxiety and Hopelessness Inventories help give you and the therapist an objective way of assessing your progress. One of the first things your therapist will do in the therapy session is to determine how you’ve been feeling this week, compared to other weeks. This is what we call a mood check. The therapist will ask you what problem you’d like to put on the agenda for that session and what happened during the previous week that was important. Then the therapist will make a bridge between the previous therapy session and this week’s therapy session by asking you what seemed important that you discussed during the past session, what self-help assignments you were able to do during the week, and whether there is anything about the therapy that you would like to see changed.

Next, you and the therapist will discuss the problem or problems you put on the agenda and do a combination of problem-solving and assessing the accuracy of your thoughts and beliefs in that problematic situation. You will also learn new skills. You and the therapist will discuss how you can make best use of what you’ve learned during the session in the coming week and the therapist will summarize the important points of the session and ask you for feedback: what was helpful about the session, what was not, anything that bothered you, anything the therapist didn’t get right, anything you’d like to see changed. As you will see, both therapist and patient are quite active in this form of treatment.

Q: How long does therapy last?

A: Unless there are practical constraints, the decision about length of treatment is made cooperatively between therapist and patient. Often the therapist will have a rough idea after a session or two of how long it might take for you to reach the goals that you set at the first session. Some patients remain in therapy for just a brief time, six to eight sessions. Other patients who have had long-standing problems may choose to stay in therapy for many months. Initially, patients are seen once a week, unless they are in crisis. As soon as they are feeling better and seem ready to start tapering therapy, patient and therapist might agree to try therapy once every two weeks, then once every three weeks. This more gradual tapering of sessions allows you to practice the skills you’ve learned while still in therapy. Booster sessions are recommended three, six and twelve months after therapy has ended.

Q: What about medication?

A: Cognitive therapists, being both practical and collaborative, can discuss the advantages and disadvantages of medication with you. Many patients are treated without medication at all. Some disorders, however, respond better to a combination of medication and cognitive therapy. If you are on medication, or would like to be on medication, you might want to discuss with your therapist whether you should have a psychiatric consultation with a specialist (a psychopharmacologist) to ensure that you are on the right kind and dosage of medication. If you are not on medication and do not want to be on medication, you and your therapist might assess, after four to six weeks, how much you’ve progressed and determine whether you might want a psychiatric consultation at that time to obtain more information about medication.

Q: How can I make the best use of therapy?

A: One way is to ask your therapist how you might be able to supplement your psychotherapy with cognitive therapy readings, workbooks, client pamphlets, etc. A second way is to prepare carefully for each session, thinking about what you learned in the previous session and jotting down what you want to discuss in the next session.

A third way to maximize therapy is to make sure that you try to bring the therapy session into your everyday life. A good way of doing this is by taking notes at the end of each session or recording the session or a summary of the session on audiotape. Make sure that you and the therapist leave enough time in the therapy session to discuss what would be helpful for you to do during the coming week and try to predict what difficulties you might have in doing these assignments so your therapist can help you before you leave the session.

Q: How will I know if therapy is working?

A: Most patients notice a decrease in their symptoms within three to four weeks of therapy if they have been faithfully attending sessions and doing the suggested assignments between sessions on a daily basis. They also see the scores on their objective tests begin to drop within several weeks.

An additional note from our practice:

You can find Cognitive Behavioral Therapists by looking on Psychology Today, Web MD, or Google Search Engine.  Through these searches you may find a local therapist or counselor who can provide the therapy necessary for treating anxiety, depression, or other known disorders for which this has been found to be effective.

Depression in children or their parents can be a problem as both can negatively affect a child’s wellbeing.  Children who are depressed may miss out on being with their peers and enjoying activities.  And, according to researchers, it is also more likely for children who grow up with a depressed parent to be depressed in adulthood.

The good news is that treatment can help.  A study reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association found that when mothers achieved remission of their depression symptoms through treatment, their children also became less likely to be depressed.

Because treatment for mental health conditions can improve not only your life but also your children’s, KLF Counseling & Consulting, PA and Wilcox Psychiatric Solutions is offering you the opportunity to take a screening for a variety of common mental health conditions, including a screening to take on behalf of your child.  The screenings are free, anonymous, and only take a few minutes.  To complete a screening please visit: http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/klfcounseling.

.    

A quote from Pema Chodron, Noble Heart states “Even if you live to be 100,
it’s really a very short time. So why not spend it undergoing this process
of evolution, of opening your mind and heart, connecting with your true
nature, rather than getting better and better at fixing, grasping, and
closing doors.”

Call to make your reservation for this very special group experience, a
unique one. (843) 652-5532, option 5, to speak with the Group Organizer.
The cost is

$150.00 with literature at $16.00. Payment is made prior to the start of the
class which is 8/25/2011. For women aged 20-39, the group will be held in
the evening between 6:30-8:30 pm; for women aged 40-60+ the group will be
held during the day between 11:30 am-1:30 pm. Given the demand for the
group and times, additional evening or daytime groups may be added.

Many women who I have spoken to about the group are excited and have expressed
an interest to participate; so, plan to attend and see what the excitement is about!

- The Women’s Group experience is a six week long group, two hours
each week, with limited number of participants, two time schedules for
women aged 20-39 and 40-60+, on a first come first serve basis.

- An additional date will be scheduled as a celebration of completing
the course; all groups who have participated in the experience will have an
evening out to discuss their journey, explorations, and learning
experiences.

While summertime often brings a taste of leisure, it can also bring stress, and with our recent celebration of Independence Day, brings about activities such as vacation planning, children at home during the summer, childcare concerns, changes in work schedules, longer days, and visits from relatives can all add up, causing problems with anxiety and even depression.

As a favor to your family, your partner, co-worker(s), children, or most importantly, yourself, do take the time to assess your mental health. KLF Counseling and Consulting, PA and Wilcox Psychiatric Solutions is offering free, anonymous mental health screenings at http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/KLFCounseling. Each screening only takes a few minutes to complete and will provide you with information on how to get help. A healthier life starts with taking action. If the 4th of July fireworks didn’t heating up your life like it once did, please take a moment to screen yourself and take the first step to feeling better.

Specific Symptoms of Acute Stress Disorder:

Acute stress disorder is most often diagnosed when an individual has been exposed to a traumatic event in which both of the following were present:

• The person experienced, witnessed, or was confronted with an event or events that involved actual or threatened death or serious injury, or a threat to the physical integrity of self or others
• The person’s response involved intense fear, helplessness, or horror

Either while experiencing or after experiencing the distressing event, the individual has 3 or more of the following dissociative symptoms:

• A subjective sense of numbing, detachment, or absence of emotional responsiveness
• A reduction in awareness of his or her surroundings (e.g., “being in a daze”)
• Derealization
• Depersonalization
• Dissociative amnesia (i.e., inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma)

The traumatic event is persistently re-experienced in at least one of the following ways: recurrent images, thoughts, dreams, illusions, flashback episodes, or a sense of reliving the experience; or distress on exposure to reminders of the traumatic event.

Acute stress disorder is also characterized by significant avoidance of stimuli that arouse recollections of the trauma (e.g., avoiding thoughts, feelings, conversations, activities, places, people). The person experiencing acute stress disorder also has significant symptoms of anxiety or increased arousal (e.g., difficulty sleeping, irritability, poor concentration, hypervigilance, exaggerated startle response, motor restlessness).

For acute stress disorder to be diagnosed, the problems noted above must cause clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning or impairs the individual’s ability to pursue some necessary task, such as obtaining necessary assistance or mobilizing personal resources by telling family members about the traumatic experience.

The disturbance in an acute stress disorder must last for a minimum of 2 days and a maximum of 4 weeks, and must occur within 4 weeks of the traumatic event. Symptoms also can not be the result of substance use or abuse (e.g., alcohol, drugs, medications), caused by or an exacerbation of a general or preexisting medical condition, and can not be better explained by a a Brief Psychotic Disorder, provided in summary byAmerican Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder is diagnosed after a 4 week time period when symptoms continue or worsen.  PTSD symptoms can arise many weeks or months after the time frame of Acute Stress Disorder of 4 weeks has passed.  According to Web MD,  Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), once called shell shock or battle fatigue syndrome, is a serious condition that can develop after a person has experienced or witnessed a traumatic or terrifying event in which serious physical harm occurred or was threatened. PTSD is a lasting consequence of traumatic ordeals that cause intense fear, helplessness, or horror, such as a sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, an accident, war, or natural disaster. Families of victims can also develop post-traumatic stress disorder, as can emergency personnel and rescue workers.

Most people who experience a traumatic event will have reactions that may include shock, anger, nervousness, fear, and even guilt. These reactions are common; and for most people, they go away over time. For a person with PTSD, however, these feelings continue and even increase, becoming so strong that they keep the person from living a normal life. People with PTSD have symptoms for longer than one month and cannot function as well as before the event occurred.  The resources from Web MD cite further detailed information about PTSD as ”

What Are the Symptoms of PTSD?

Symptoms of PTSD most often begin within three months of the event. In some cases, however, they do not begin until years later. The severity and duration of the illness vary. Some people recover within six months, while others suffer much longer.

Symptoms of PTSD often are grouped into three main categories, including:

• Re-living: People with PTSD repeatedly re-live the ordeal through thoughts and memories of the trauma. These may include flashbacks, hallucinations, and nightmares. They also may feel great distress when certain things remind them of the trauma, such as the anniversary date of the event.
• Avoiding: The person may avoid people, places, thoughts, or situations that may remind him or her of the trauma. This can lead to feelings of detachment and isolation from family and friends, as well as a loss of interest in activities that the person once enjoyed.
• Increased arousal: These include excessive emotions; problems relating to others, including feeling or showing affection; difficulty falling or staying asleep; irritability; outbursts of anger; difficulty concentrating; and being “jumpy” or easily startled. The person may also suffer physical symptoms, such as increased blood pressure and heart rate, rapid breathing, muscle tension, nausea, and diarrhea.

Young children with PTSD may suffer from delayed development in areas such as toilet training, motor skills, and language.

Who Gets PTSD?

Everyone reacts to traumatic events differently. Each person is unique in his or her ability to manage fear and stress, and to cope with the threat posed by a traumatic event or situation. For that reason, not everyone who experiences or witnesses a trauma will develop PTSD. Further, the type of help and support a person receives from friends, family members and professionals following the trauma may influence the development of PTSD or the severity of symptoms.

PTSD was first brought to the attention of the medical community by war veterans, hence the names shell shock and battle fatigue syndrome. However, PTSD can occur in anyone who has experienced a traumatic event. People who have been abused as children or who have been repeatedly exposed to life-threatening situations are at greater risk for developing PTSD. Victims of trauma related to physical and sexual assault face the greatest risk for PTSD.

KLF Counseling and Consulting, PA provides treatment for those who have experienced traumatic events using evidenced based approaches.  Additionally, through the practice additional resources can be provided or consultation with the patient and/or family for other providers and/or treatment options can be given to aid the individual and/or family who are experiencing PTSD symptoms.

If you are concerned about someone having PTSD, you may take a free, on-line assessment by visiting KLFCounseling.com, then proceed to http://www.mentalhealthscreening.org/screening/Welcome.aspx .  You may choose from several screenings, one of which is PTSD, to determine if this a possibility which may need intervention by your local family physician, mental health practitioner (psychiatrist, licensed professional counselor, social worker, or psychologist).  Take your results to the practitioner to discuss your treatment options which may include therapy and medication to relieve symptoms.

Several resources are noted below to provide guides on various areas of PTSD, Acute Stress Disorder that affects children, teens, college age students, adult, families, couples, and geriatric patients.  Take a few minutes to review these resources as they may provide valuable and timely information for somone in need.

Teens Got Bounce–http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/bounce.aspx

Supporting Teens Through A Disaster–http://www.sesamestreet.org/parents/topics/stress/stress01

National Center for PTSD –http://www.ptsd.va.gov/

PTSD in Children and Teens–http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/ptsd-children-adolescents.asp

Understanding PTSD–(a booklet) http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/understanding_ptsd/booklet.pdf

Fathers in Recovery-After PTSD Treatment–http://www.projectfatherhood.org/assets/uploads/6_fatherhood_in_recovery_ptsd_tello.pdf

Assessment-After Deployment-Free Online Assessment–http://www.afterdeployment.org/web/guest/topics-post-traumatic-stress

KLF Counseling & Consulting, PA also participates with the Give an Hour Program to provide an hour of free counseling to military families or veterans/active duty service men.  Call to ask for your time to be scheduled. 

Kathy L. Fortner, EdS., LPC, NCC also provides Critical Incident Stress Management services through a variety of programs such as Employee Assistance Companies, Insurance Companies, and contracted service providers.  She is a volunteer member of the Horry County Public Fire and Rescue Team where she is available to provide such services to those in need after a critical incident or during a disaster relief situation.  For further information, contact the office.a

It is hoped this information provided can give insight into the challenges facing those who have been in the military, been exposed to a serious event, or who have been traumatized by unforseen life events.