5 Ways to Find Group Therapy for PTSD

1. Choose a Group With a Support Focus

If you suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), you should talk to others afflicted with the condition in a support-group setting. These forums encourage the open sharing of feelings, experiences, memories and struggles with PTSD. The end aim of these support networks is to prevent symptoms and negative behaviors from worsening as a result of being left unchecked. They are typically led by experienced facilitators and therapists, and you can find dedicated groups for PTSD caused by specific events, such as war, rape or murder.

2. Focus on the Trauma

Also known as a psychodynamic approach, trauma-focused group therapy will delve deep into your traumatic stressor to assist in its healthy integration into your psyche. This type of support group is most commonly recommended to patients suffering from acute stress caused by a relatively recent event, which is still sitting raw and unprocessed in the patient's memory. During psychodynamic therapy, you'll be encouraged to confront and process traumatic memories in detail in order to achieve self-understanding and regain self-empowerment and symptom control.

3. Cognitive-Behavior Group Therapy Can Help PTSD Sufferers

In virtually all cases of PTSD, the effects of the stress show up repeatedly in other, seemingly unrelated, areas of the patient's life. This can cause a breakdown of social, familial and romantic relationships. If you're affected by these so-called traumatic reenactments, you can participate in cognitive-behavior group therapy to find a heightened understanding of the true source of your altered behavior. Then, with the support and assistance of the group leader(s) and the other group members, you'll learn how to control and master your behavior. This, in turn, will help you sustain healthy relationships and overcome the panic, anxiety, fear, nightmares and flashbacks associated with PTSD.

4. Assess Inpatient or Outpatient Care

Unfortunately, post-traumatic stress disorder often triggers additional psychological conditions that will require separate treatment. For example, patients commonly develop depression and panic or anxiety disorders. Thus, your condition must be assessed by an experienced psychiatric specialist, who may recommend inpatient care. It's common for people to be assigned to outpatient group therapy when they have been coping with the condition for a long time and simply need the help of a support-oriented group. Acute cases and those involving additional psychological complications are usually best treated through immersion programs at a dedicated inpatient facility.

5. Involve Loved Ones

The patience, support and understanding of your family and friends are crucial to your efforts to overcome PTSD. Virtually all outpatient and inpatient treatment structures permit and encourage the participation of family members and significant others. Dedicated family-therapy groups also teach the individual's loved ones coping techniques and ways to help the patient recover. They also facilitate honest communication between victims and their loved ones, which can go a long way toward preventing and healing the damage that can be caused by the actions of many PTSD patients.