Medical Trauma
When looking for healing has led to more hurt.
Learn how therapy can help you
reclaim your life.
What is Medical Trauma?
Medical trauma is the body and brain’s response to very stressful medical events and/or interactions with the healthcare system. Trauma may arise from a single event or the cumulation of many negative experiences over time.
The source of your trauma may be a doctor or may even be your own body. At times, the experience of living with your health symptoms can result in traumatic experiences in and of itself. Other times, you may experience a surgery gone wrong, an inpatient stay that felt more like a nightmare, or have a pattern of being dismissed by physician after physician.
PTSD may arise from medical trauma due to the body and brain’s interpretation of extreme stress.
What contributes to medical trauma?
Sudden or Life-Threatening Illnesses
Some medical conditions are extremely stressful by nature. You may receive a terminal diagnosis or experience a sudden condition that poses a threat to your life. You may experience a serious injury, or live with a condition that makes you prone to injury.
Medical Mistreatment
Unfortunately, medical care teams are often far from perfect. You may experience care that includes invalidation, a loss of control, or unwanted interventions. You may be a survivor of a medical error or intentional malpractice. You may have experienced forms of trauma or violence (such as sexual violence) within a healthcare setting.
Whatever your story, you do not have to walk through “what comes next?” alone.
Catastrophic Complications
Sometimes after a medical event, unexpected procedure, or healthcare error there may be complications that can change your body and abilities for the rest of your life. Adjusting to changes in your body or ability status can be extremely stressful.
Why Songbird Psychological Services?
Thank you for trusting us with your care.
Evidence-Based Services
We are committed to keeping up with the latest research and applying evidence-based techniques to help you meet your goals. Current guidelines supported by the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies support the use of gold-standard treatments for PTSD in addressing medical trauma.
Dr. Bethany DeHaven is competent in a number of trauma treatments including IFS, CPT, PE, WET, and narrative therapy.
Repairing Trust
We know we are a part of the very system that hurt you. Trauma-informed care is one of our central values. From requesting an intake through termination, we prioritize your care with clear communication, collaboration, and flexibility. We are committed to being one step towards re-establishing trust with healthcare in combination with self-advocacy and safe boundaries.
Humility &
Validation
Our clinicians listen to your lived experience. We bring expertise on the field of psychology and you bring expertise on your own body. Many individuals with medical trauma have been invalidated by medical professionals; listening to you and advocating alongside you are our priorities.
In-Person & Online
Availability
Unfortunately, it can be difficult to find providers competent to treat medical trauma outside of a hospital setting. We’re tired of hearing stories of families searching “medical trauma therapy near me” or “Medical trauma therapy in Vancouver, WA” and coming up with nothing. Appointments are available in-person in Vancouver, WA or anywhere in WA state via telehealth.