About this episode... Julie Christensen is back in this episode and chats with Monkey and Miss Laura about PTSD as a form of disability and why it may impact people in their health, well being and sexual sense of well being. To start, PTSD is defined as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. This is a mental health condition that is triggered by exposure to a terrifying event, even a life-threatening event. Symptoms of PTSD may include avoidance, hypervigilance, being afraid of things, nightmares, flashbacks re-experiencing things, and feeling disconnected from others and even from yourself. There are of course more symptoms - these are just a few. There is also a complex PTSD that results from years of exposure to unhealthy relationships or sexual abuse or other situations. Some people are aware they have PTSD, and many others are not aware, even having repressed memories of the traumatic events that lead to PTSD. About Julie... Julie Christensen is a licensed marriage and family therapist and a frequent flier with the BCBC show. Julie is a therapist at It's Possible Therapy who specializes in: Grief Trauma Mood Disorders Anxiety Disorders Spirituality Holy Fire Reiki Healing Contact Julie... It's Possible Therapy Julie Christensen, M.A., L.M.F.T Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 3175 Sunset Blvd, Suite 107H Rocklin CA 95677 Phone/Text: 916-276-4354 Email: Julie@itspossibletherapy.com Show notes... Julie goes into a few ways to identify PTSD within yourself and within others. These are only a few possibilities - please note that this is in no way a stand-in for seeking professional assistance. When looking in a sexual context, Julie suggests that your partner may notice things if you are suffering from PTSD - lack of enjoyment, orgasm, response, and more. Monkey asked Julie about how someone can help a partner, friend, or loved one to identify and work with PTSD. She encourages communication between all the parties, offering couples therapy, taking online tests, and additional modes of communication. PTSD was formerly identified only as associated with military experiences - although now it is much more widely identified as a real and serious issue. There are a lot more tools to identify problems and to treat PTSD. Julie is a big fan of EMDR - Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories by applying bilateral stimulation to release memories and help rewrite those memories. This can take those memories from a traumatic rating of 10 down to a 0 and remove the trauma associated forever. Other alternative treatments like LSD were addressed. LSD treatments were actually historically for PTSD until it was outlawed. This treatment is currently considered "outlawed" due to the legal status of LSD. There are also many people that use alternative methods of BDSM to help deal with associated trauma, specifically around sexual trauma. Negotiation and being honest and open about experiences and a history of critical review in these situations to try to avoid further damage. Julie encourages people going along this path to be safe and open and extra aware of histories and what people may need. Julie offers the advice of "Take it one day at a time, love yourself, and recognize you will probably not resolve this in a week or two so be patient. Get good help. If you are working with a therapist you do not like, get another one." Can you help the BCBC Show thrive? Please help our podcast and support a great show and resource trying to make the world better one podcast at a time! First LIKE, Rate, and Subscribe to our podcast... Best done on iTunes and also give us 5 stars and also write a wonderful review! Then check out other ways you can support the show: Donate to the show and get stuff...