Edna Foa, Ph.D. on the Nature and Treatment of PTSD

Mental Help Net (www.mentalhelp.net) presents the Wise Counsel Podcast (wisecounsel.mentalhelp.net), hosted by David Van Nuys, Ph.D. "Edna Foa, Ph.D. on the Nature and Treatment of PTSD" In this episode of the Wise Counsel Podcast, Dr. Van Nuys speaks with Psychologist Edna Foa, Ph.D. a world-famous Anxiety researcher on the topic of treating Post-traumatic Stress Disorder, better known as PTSD. Dr. Foa describes the nature of PTSD, including the three major classes of symptoms that are associated with the diagnosis: re-experiencing, avoidance and emotional numbing, and arousal. She also describes the best scientifically validated treatment for PTSD currently known, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, which involves a systematic detailed and repetitious retelling of the trauma story by the trauma victim so as to help them integrate their trauma memories, place them firmly in the past, and habituate them to the story so that they feel less arousal and anxiety when they think about it.