FEATURES OF THE IMPACT OF A TRAUMATIC EVENT ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF PTSD IN THE CLIENT: PSYCHOLOGICAL SUPPORT AND PSYCHOTHERAPEUTIC TECHNIQUES

Abstract

The article describes the specifics of the impact of a traumatic event on the formation of PTSD in a person, recommendations for psychological support and the practical application of psychotherapeutic techniques. The challenges of war and other cataclysms can cause a range of emotional, cognitive, and physiological disturbances, the intensity of which may generate various psychological and mental symptoms. Each individual responds to stressors in their own unique way. In most cases, a person is capable of adapting to the impact of these stressors on daily functioning. However, a certain percentage of individuals experience a destructive impact from such events, which may lead to potential pathologization. Effective diagnostics help clearly determine the degree and intensity of disturbances, and subsequent clinical formulation supports the effective application of clinical intervention protocols. According to professional sources, trauma-oriented approaches – such as second- and thirdwave cognitive-behavioral therapy, trauma-focused therapy, and EMDR – demonstrate significant effectiveness in working with the consequences of traumatic events. Their effectiveness is well-established, and these approaches are considered evidence-based. At the same time, the duration of psychotherapy within most of these methods may pose an obstacle, as clients with impaired daily functioning are not always able to wait for improvement over a long period. A modern psychologist must possess a range of techniques that can provide significant improvement for the patient in the shortest possible time, while the interventions themselves should be easy for the clinician to apply and easily perceived by the client. For professionals, the training process for mastering these techniques should be intensive and relatively short. The vast majority of adapted techniques should be based on evidence-based trauma-oriented approaches.