Traumatic invalidation is a powerful and often misunderstood concept that can play a significant role in the development and maintenance of PTSD. In our latest P4P episode, we sit down with Dr. Robin Brody who shared her insights on what traumatic invalidation is and how it contributes to trauma responses, including PTSD.
Recently a case was shared with me in consultation that perked my ears up. He had a number of disruptions related to his sleep, including difficulty staying asleep, nightmares, a diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), and a history of two traumatic incidents. Worse, he had started grinding his teeth to the point of wearing through over the counter mouthguards. He was described as an “extreme case” that had failed prior evidence-based treatment and would not likely benefit from say Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I).
No one knows better than our clients what is going on in their world - their stressors, symptoms, triumphs, values, goals… but sometimes it can also be helpful to hear additional perspectives from others in our client’s world. These “others”, referred to as “collaterals” in clinical practice can offer valuable insights and observations about presenting problems, barriers to treatment, strengths of the client – all of which can enhance our understanding of our client’s environment, behaviors, and experiences.
The Sleep Ed-MC project is a collaboration between experts from CDP, San Diego State University (SDSU), the Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress (USU), and the VA’s National Center for PTSD. Co-led by Drs. Emily Schmied (SDSU) and Maegan Willing (CDP), this study, titled "Reducing Suicidality through Improved Sleep Health" or "Sleep Ed-MC," addresses the critical issue of suicide prevention in the military.
The utilization of telehealth platforms dramatically increased access to psychotherapy in 2020. Nearly five years later, providers can deliver treatment more efficiently to patients across the globe and in locations where there are a dearth of behavioral health providers. Of course, telehealth is not without its challenges, and some providers are anxious to make (or maintain) the transition from in-person treatment. This is perhaps nowhere more true than in the area of suicide prevention.