Over the last 10 years I have been asked by solicitors to provide courses of therapy for clients, usually for the aftermath of a trauma or accident in which the person has developed Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Road traffic accidents are the most common type of trauma but there are many others. In my book ‘Understanding Trauma: how to overcome post traumatic stress’ I devote 5 different chapters to clients referred to me, including facial and arm burns (Claire, chapter 4), a plane crash in Afghanistan (Susan, chapter 8), falling off a ladder (Max, chapter 11), ruptured appendix (Jules, chapter 16) and appearance in court as an expert witness where Post Traumatic Stress Disorder was contested (chapter 3). (picture of the front cover of PTSD book and link)
PTSD is not easy to treat and a variety of treatment options exist. The NHS National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) has reviewed PTSD therapies ( http://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/CG26 ) and highlight trauma-focussed therapy as the best evidence based treatment. I have considerable experience using this type of Cognitive Behavioural approach over the last 20 years with an excellent record of success. It is one type of approach in which something of a complete recovery can be achieved. Not always, but often.
Along with psychology colleagues I have recently described the emotional focus in this approach in an journal article “ Emotional Processing Therapy for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder” for Counselling Therapy Quarterly, 2013 ( http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/09515070.2013.816840#.U6xGtfldWHM ) .
I have practised as a Consultant Clinical Psychologist with the NHS for 24 years, am a Chartered Clinical Psychologist with the British Psychological Society ( http://www.bps.org.uk/bpslegacy/lcm?frmAction=results&Mem_Surname=baker&Postcode=bh4&PostcodeRadius=3&Mem_Location=WXB ) and am registered with the Health Professions Council (http://www.hcpc-uk.org/search-results/search-details/?searchOption=1&search=baker&profession=PYL&start=1&ID=02161)