Trauma, PTSD, and Complex PTSD
Offering compassionate comprehensive diagnostic testing to provide data-driven answers
for questions following one or multiple traumatic experiences from childhood to adulthood
tailored just to you.
What are Trauma, PTSD, and Complex Trauma?
Trauma describes a mental, emotional, and physical response to one or more very stressful events. These events may be life-threatening, involve loss, serious injury, or abuse. It may have been an event that happened to you directly or that you observed. Secondhand trauma, or vicarious trauma, refers to trauma-related symptoms that occur after being exposed indirectly to another’s traumatic experience. Secondhand trauma commonly impacts first responders and healthcare professionals. Traumatic events may cause a variety of disorders in children and adults including PTSD, Complex PTSD, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder, Acute Stress Disorder, and Adjustment Disorder. Left untreated, trauma symptoms may progress into more long-lasting mental health conditions.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a psychological disorder that can occur after a traumatic event. It often includes lasting emotional symptoms such as fear, sadness, or numbing. You may notice that you are jumpier than usual or avoiding certain places or situations following the event. Thoughts, memories, or dreams from the event may intrude on your mind. While often associated with war and natural disasters, PTSD also commonly occurs following interpersonal trauma such as abuse or sexual violence and accidents such as in a motor vehicle.
Complex PTSD is a diagnosis that is included in the International Code of Disorders (ICD-11) but not in the American diagnostic manual, the DSM-5-TR. Complex PTSD involves the core symptoms of PTSD plus disruptions in three main areas: interpersonal relationships, identity, and emotion regulation. Complex PTSD may occur when there have been multiple traumatic events during childhood and in response to interpersonal traumas.
A comprehensive psychological evaluation can be useful to correctly diagnose your trauma-related disorder(s). Though diagnosis may sound simple and straightforward, many trauma-related conditions share similar signs and symptoms which can make it difficult for a mental health professional to diagnose you from a clinical interview alone. Many people have had the experience of a laundry list of diagnoses, none of which feel like quite the right fit. Psychological evaluation provides more objective data that help you and your psychologist determine the correct diagnosis for you. Accurate diagnosis is essential to craft a treatment plan that is effective for you.
Psychological evaluation for trauma-related disorders is especially highly recommended if you experience a treatment refractory (or treatment resistant) condition. If you have tried several forms of treatment without desired results, testing may provide the guidance that you and your treating providers need.
Common Signs of Trauma-Related Disorders
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Being easily startled
Feeling very watchful or “on guard”
Difficulty trusting others
Strong negative beliefs about yourself, others, or the world (such as, “the world is totally bad” or “all men are dangerous”)
Frequent thoughts about the event
Nightmares or flashbacks
Attempts to avoid reminders of the event
Trouble sleeping
Strong emotions such as fear, guilt, horror, or shame
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Re-creating traumatic event themes through play
Frequent nightmares
Dysregulated emotions
Avoiding reminders of traumatic event
Unusual irritability or anger
Resistance to discussing traumatic event
Increased jumpiness
Increased watchfulness of surroundings
New physical symptoms such as frequent stomach or headaches
Difficulty connecting with others or expressing affection
Excessive fear of strangers or unusual lack of fear of strangers
Bedwetting
Self-blame
Notable mood changes, such as depression
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Difficulty managing emotions
Intense emotional reactions
Unusual emotional numbing
Feelings of worthlessness or self-blame
Difficulty feeling close to others
Challenges with maintaining positive interpersonal relationships
Each individual is unique and it is likely that you or your loved one won’t have all of these specific signs.
Why Songbird Psychological Services?
Efficient
No long waitlists: Immediate appointments are available
Results typically provided in 2 weeks
Evidence-Based
Our experts use the most up-to-date measures with the strongest research support wherever possible
No quick check-lists or guesses; just data-driven, compassionate answers
Empathetic
We center authentic and compassionate care
Culturally responsive, affirming evaluations
What Does Trauma Testing Involve?
Our clinicians are trauma-informed. You can expect them to be highly sensitive to your needs and reactions throughout testing. We understand that testing for trauma can be a distressing event and will accommodate wherever possible to minimize distress.
1) Intake Appointment
Your assessment will begin with a clinical intake. This will involve a parent/caregiver clinical interview. We will gather comprehensive, trauma-informed background information and collaborate with you to determine goals for testing. We will also review records from childhood wherever possible to establish a well rounded clinical picture.
2) Testing Appointment
A typical assessment will include
3-6 hours of face-to-face comprehensive testing. This includes cognitive tests, objective and projective personality/mood measures, self- and other- report measures, and other assessments specific to your presenting concerns.
We do not use psychometricians. All of your testing time will be directly with our doctoral-level clinicians.
3) Feedback Session
Two weeks after your testing appointment, we will provide a feedback session to discuss the results of your assessment. Diagnoses and recommendations will be provided and you will have the opportunity to process your results and ask questions.
4) Report and Ongoing Support
After your feedback session, you will be provided with a thorough written report. This details the testing received, results, diagnoses, and recommendations. It is often used to support access to accommodations and to guide treatment planning.
Our experts remain available to you for follow-up questions, support, and advocacy as needed.
Thank you for trusting us with your care
We are honored to serve the autistic community in Vancouver, Washington, and the surrounding Southwest Washington and Portland metro area. Our neurodiversity-affirming practice provides comprehensive trauma-related evaluations for children, adolescents, and adults. We are passionate about providing accessible, high-quality psychological care that celebrates differences while supporting vulnerabilities, and creates space for lasting change through evidence-based treatment.
Our office is conveniently located in downtown Vancouver, WA, just off I-5, making it easy to access from Vancouver, Camas, Washougal, Salmon Creek, Battle Ground, Ridgefield, and Portland, Oregon. Free parking is available in the building parking lot. For clients traveling from Salem, Oregon or Olympia, Washington, we are happy to do our best to accommodate the long travel distance with single-day testing appointments when possible, virtual intakes, and virtual feedback sessions as requested. Whether you're seeking PTSD testing, Complex PTSD testing, or childhood trauma testing we are committed to providing thoughtful, evidence-based evaluations in a welcoming and supportive environment. If you or your child requires specific sensory accommodations, please let us know prior to your appointment.