If you experienced a crime, our therapists are experienced in the safe and reliable Sovereign Body Method to help you feel whole again. Learn to connect with yourself and create safety within your body with the dedicated team at Evolve Therapy & Counseling. Here, you are choosing an experienced therapist who understands your journey and offers effective tools for your recovery. Reach out for your complimentary consultation today.
Explore Online Therapy or In-Person Counseling for Crime Trauma.
A Traumatic Crime
Experiencing or witnessing a crime can be a complex and traumatizing experience. All different types of reactions are normal. Crime victims may experience any range of PTSD symptoms from extreme to none at all.
If someone you know has experienced a crime, there are several ways you can help them, including:
- Listen non-judgmentally
- Don’t try to change their feelings
- Spend time with them
- Help them with chores and daily tasks
- Offer resources and support
There are many things you can do to help a loved one who has recently experienced a traumatic event. Everyone is different. So the best thing is to ask them what they need. At times, they may want help, or advice, just to be heard, or sometimes to just someone to sit in silence with.
PTSD From a Robbery
PTSD can occur after any traumatic event. A trauma is a memory attached to a highly charged negative emotion. Different reactions are normal. For some people, a robbery can be a highly traumatic event, while others may be able to cope and move forward more quickly. It all depends on the situation, the person’s history, and many other factors.
Embrace Healing The Power of Trust in Therapeutic Relationships
“In my experience, the most effective aspect of therapy is the therapeutic relationship. Establishing trust between a client and clinician is the first step to healing.”
Psychological effects of being robbed may include:
- Feeling unsafe
- Hypervigilance
- Trouble sleeping and nightmares
- Anxiety disorder
- Depression
- Intense negative emotions such as fear, horror, guilt, or shame
- Inability to feel positive emotions
Everyone reacts to trauma differently. If you experience any of these or other trauma symptoms, speak to a counselor to help you develop healthy coping mechanisms and begin enjoying your life again.
Long-Term Effects of Home Invasion
Some long-term effects of a home invasion include:
- Difficulty sleeping or nightmares
- Anxiety or panic attacks
- Hypervigilance
- Feeling unsafe in your own home
If you experienced a home invasion, remember you are not alone in recovering from it. Contact one of our therapists today.
Recovering from a Robbery
Getting over PTSD from a robbery can be difficult if you don’t feel safe. The first step in Liz Chelak, LCSW, CCTSI, CRPS therapy curriculum to treat PTSD is somatic regulation. One of our therapists will walk you through the process of learning and utilizing tools to help you regulate your emotions and feel safe in your body. Next, you and your therapist will practice processing emotions in session. Finally, you will reprocess the negative memory. After completing therapy, you will have tools to create effective change in your experience of daily life and stressors.
Anxiety After a Home Invasion
It is completely normal to feel anxious after a home invasion. Your therapist will work with you to decrease your anxiety. Different techniques work for different people. Your therapist can give you options such as somatic regulation, relaxation techniques, cognitive restructuring, or trauma therapy interventions. All treatment follows the Sovereign Body Method to ensure all clients are going through the necessary phases not only for healing, but for lasting change.
Finding a Therapist for Crime Victim Treatment
A good psychologist or therapist for crime victims would specialize in trauma therapy. Look for someone experienced in working with clients who have simple or complex trauma. A good trauma therapist is someone with whom you feel comfortable sharing your thoughts and feelings. Your therapist should be able to give you several options to cope with your traumatic experience.
All therapists at Evolve Therapy & Counseling with closely with Liz Chelak, LCSW, to ensure you receive structured care that reflects the same standards across our team