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About Tom Cloyd, MS, MA – Author of Trauma! A PTSD Blog

June 25, 2013 Tom Cloyd, MS, MA

In writing and speaking about psychological trauma, I am most often reacting to an ongoing perception that few people really "get it" - about many aspects of this whole class of mental disorders. This multidimensional misunderstanding is seen in many ways:

  • Misreading one's own behavior, thoughts, and feelings: You wouldn't believe how often I've been asked "am I crazy?", by someone with whom I'm just starting to work in relation to their psychological trauma. What an awful, painful question - which should never even have occurred to them.
  • Reluctance to hire someone with a known diagnosis of PTSD: After all, they're dangerous, aren't they? (Not a whole lot more than anyone else is - most violence in our country comes from people who do NOT have PTSD.)
  • Complete refusal to provide even minimally competent treatment services: The U.S. Veteran's Administration has for years provided "group therapy" for PTSD. There's no such thing. Group therapy is NOT a validated PTSD treatment. And in my own state, people on Medicaid who approach state-funded county mental health agencies, and are subsequently diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder, are told "we don't treat DID". I don't see either of these as appropriate professional responses.
  • The widespread belief that once you have PTSD, you'll have it for life. This is far from true, if you get competent treatment.

Reducing Human Suffering Due to Psychological Trauma

Frustration - that's MY mental health problem. To preserve my sanity, I write, speak, organize Internet interest groups, and plot changes. Change - individual, social, or cultural, is usually hard. The alternative, however, is harder. So, we must work for change, and that's why I'm here.

Tom Cloyd is a mental health therapist specializing in treatment of trauma and PTSD.I am trained in cultural anthropology, had a career in ceramic art, and made a mid-career change to counseling psychology a few years back. That was one of the smartest things I've ever done. I love what I do. I love tough problems. I don't often ask what the purpose of my life might be. I know what it is - to bring about change, to work to lessen the human suffering due to psychological trauma. I am a private practice psychotherapist, writer, researcher, speaker, and trainer. That isn't enough, of course, but it's what I can do.

Oh, there IS one other thing I can do: Ask you to join with me in this work.

We need to educate ourselves, dialog about problems and solutions, ask others to take action where they can, and above all simply to keep at it. We ARE gaining ground. We're going to see very major change - in our lifetime, if we just continue. So, please, come with me, stand with me, help me see things more clearly when you can, affirm the truths I can see when you can. Let's get this done!

Connect with Tom Cloyd also at Google+, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, his Sleight of Mind blog, his Trauma Psych blog, and the Tom Cloyd website.

APA Reference
Cloyd, T. (2013, June 25). About Tom Cloyd, MS, MA – Author of Trauma! A PTSD Blog, HealthyPlace. Retrieved on 2024, March 19 from https://www.healthyplace.com/blogs/traumaptsdblog/2013/06/about-tom-cloyd



Author: Tom Cloyd, MS, MA

Georgina
August, 7 2014 at 3:04 am

Dear Tom over the past year my world has gotten smaller I have struggled after a sexual trauma which seems to have raked up previous traumas in my life which I thought I had a handle on but I feel lost and at times quite mad, like I don't know who I am anymore. I have a therapist who knows me and I am grateful for I am on meds and I take sleepers If I didn't I know It would be impossible. It has been nearly a year and some days I feel like I will never be ok again, Michelle talks about a healing rampage I am trying very hard to heal myself, I go to work I pay my bills I love my family all the while waiting for this hell to pass and just leave me be, I long to wake up and feel free. I know I am in my head too much I think I am reaching out to try to dilute the toxic thoughts

Amrita Maat
June, 28 2013 at 7:44 pm

I am a nurse that was diagnosed with PTSD during the prolonged isolation from a sexual harassment lawsuit that I was involved in. My attempt to defend myself from inappropriate behavior became much more than I could handle. My story about how I work to overcome this diagnosis and the substantial abuse that preceded this diagnosis is now available at amazon.com.
I am a nurse, a healer. I lost my career and suffered with PTSD for a very long time. My memoir evolved through my desperation to heal myself. I offer my story,Wearing a Mask Called Normal, as a means to help others that may suffer.
Reading your blog helps to validate my experiences, thank you.
Sincerely,
Amrita Maat
maskcallednormal.com
facebook: Amrita Maat

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

tomcloyd
June, 30 2013 at 2:25 am

Amrita, I'm sorry to hear of your struggle, but heartened to hear of its outcome. I hope, and expect, that your telling your story will work to foster hope in others. I see that you've just published your book. Best of luck with that worthy venture, and thanks for stopping by here.
Yours for health and happiness,
Tom C.

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