5 Common Myths About PTSD: What You Need to Know About Trauma and Healing
Sarah stood in her kitchen, hands trembling as she gripped the counter's edge. Her three-year-old's meltdown over a spilled juice box had triggered something in her – a wave of rage that seemed to come from nowhere. "I told you to be more careful!" she'd snapped.
In the quiet aftermath, shame washed over her. As a successful attorney and mom, she prided herself on keeping it cool. As these moments of losing her temper with her children became more frequent, she blamed it on work stress, on the endless demands of balancing career and motherhood. "I'm just overwhelmed," she'd tell herself. "All moms struggle with patience sometimes." But deep down, she knew these reactions felt different – bigger than the situations warranted.
Understanding PTSD: Beyond the Myths
As a trauma-informed therapist for moms in Houston, I've sat with countless women like Sarah who didn't realize their daily struggles or parenting triggers could be connected to past trauma. These are high-achieving women and working moms – doctors, executives, entrepreneurs – who've mastered the art of pushing through, all while carrying the invisible weight of unprocessed trauma.
Drawing from my extensive experience providing trauma therapy in Texas, both in-person and virtually, I've noticed a pattern of misconceptions about Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) that often prevent people from seeking the support they deserve. These myths don't just delay healing – they can make people question their own experiences and symptoms, wondering if their struggles are "real" enough to address, or if they're simply "bad parents" for their reactions.
The Most Common Myths about PTSD
Understanding PTSD starts with challenging our assumptions about what trauma looks like. Let's examine five persistent myths that might be keeping you from recognizing or addressing your own trauma responses.
Myth #1: "PTSD Only Develops from Severe or Life-Threatening Events"
"It wasn't that bad compared to what others have been through." As a trauma therapist in Texas, I hear this sentiment frequently from clients, especially mothers who minimize their experiences. They believe their trauma isn't "serious enough" because it didn't involve a natural disaster, combat, or a violent attack.
The truth is, trauma isn't defined by the event itself, but by how our nervous system processes and stores the experience. Sometimes, it's the chronic emotional stress of growing up with an unpredictable parent, the accumulated impact of workplace discrimination, or the subtle but persistent feelings of abandonment that can create lasting trauma responses. For mothers, even experiences that might seem "normal" to others – like a difficult childbirth, pregnancy loss, or struggling to bond with your baby – can trigger PTSD symptoms.
Research shows that our brains don't categorize trauma based on society's expectations of what should or shouldn't be traumatic. Instead, factors like timing, support systems, prior experiences, and our capacity to process the event at the time all influence whether an experience becomes traumatic. This explains why two people can go through the same event and have completely different responses – one might move forward relatively unaffected, while another develops PTSD symptoms.
Consider the mom who experiences panic attacks during simple tasks because of years of childhood emotional neglect, or the mother who finds herself constantly on edge and unable to relax, always waiting for something to go wrong, even during quiet moments with her children. These experiences might not make headlines, but their impact on daily functioning, relationships, and emotional well-being is very real.
Myth #2: "You'll Know Right Away If You Have PTSD"
One of the most misleading beliefs about PTSD is that you'll immediately recognize it if you have it. As a trauma therapist in Texas, I often hear clients say, "But I was fine for years after it happened," or "I thought I had dealt with that already."
On the other hand, most of the women I work with are unsure whether they’ve ever experienced trauma. The reality is that PTSD can be subtle, emerging gradually or appearing years after a traumatic experience.
Sometimes, it takes becoming a mother for these symptoms to surface. The intensity of parenthood – with its unique blend of joy, exhaustion, and vulnerability – can unexpectedly stir up old wounds. You might notice yourself becoming inexplicably angry when your child shows normal defiance, feeling disconnected during moments that should bring joy, or being consumed by worry even when everything is objectively fine. These reactions might seem random, but they're often your body remembering what your mind has tried to forget.
PTSD can also disguise itself as other challenges. What looks like perfectionism might actually be hypervigilance – an attempt to control your environment to feel safe. What feels like "mom rage" might be a trauma response triggered by feeling overwhelmed or out of control. That persistent anxiety about your children's safety, the one that keeps you up at night? It might be connected to unresolved experiences from your own past.
The signs aren't always dramatic or obvious. They can show up as:
Feeling numb or disconnected during special family moments
Having a hard time trusting your parenting instincts
Overreacting to normal household chaos
Finding it impossible to relax, even when you finally have time to yourself
Being haunted by intrusive thoughts about your children's safety
Myth #3: "Virtual Therapy Isn't Effective for PTSD Treatment"
If you're like many of my clients, you might be skeptical about addressing trauma through a computer screen. After all, isn't trauma healing all about human connection? As someone who provides therapy for trauma in Texas both virtually and in-person, I can tell you that this myth couldn't be further from the truth.
The reality is that trauma healing happens in the context of safety, and for many moms, virtual therapy actually creates an ideal environment for this work. Picture being able to process difficult emotions from the comfort of your own space, wearing your favorite sweater, with your cup of tea nearby. No rushing through traffic, no waiting rooms, and no need to compose yourself before driving home after an emotional session. This comfort and convenience often allows for deeper therapeutic work than you might expect.
What surprises many of my clients is how effectively we can use powerful trauma healing tools like EMDR therapy and brainspotting therapy in Houston through virtual sessions. Modern technology and adapted techniques make these approaches just as impactful online as they are in person. The key elements that make trauma therapy successful – the therapeutic relationship, your sense of safety, and the ability to process at your own pace – remain fully intact in the virtual space.
Virtual therapy also eliminates many common barriers that keep moms from seeking help:
No need to arrange childcare
Flexibility to schedule sessions during naptime or lunch breaks
Access to specialized trauma treatment regardless of your location in Texas
Ability to maintain consistency in therapy even when life gets busy
Myth #4: "PTSD Treatment Always Involves Reliving Your Trauma"
This might be the most fear-inducing myth about trauma therapy – the belief that healing requires you to retell and relive your most painful experiences in vivid detail. As an EMDR therapist in Houston, I've seen how this misconception keeps many moms from seeking the support they need. The good news? Modern trauma therapy offers gentler, more sophisticated approaches that respect your nervous system's need for safety and stability.
Two powerful methods I use in my practice are EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and brainspotting therapy. These approaches work with your brain's natural healing capacity, allowing you to process trauma without getting overwhelmed by the details of your experiences. Think of it like defragmenting a computer – we're helping your brain reorganize and store memories in a healthier way, all while maintaining a sense of safety and control.
When providing brainspotting therapy in Houston, I often explain to clients that we're not diving into the deep end of their trauma story. Instead, we're helping their brain and body release stuck patterns and emotions, often with minimal talking about the actual traumatic events. This can be particularly relieving for moms who worry about being overwhelmed by emotions or who struggle to find words for their experiences.
With these approaches, you remain fully present and in control throughout the session. We work at your pace, with your comfort as our guide. Many clients are surprised to discover they can process deep trauma while feeling grounded and safe – no reliving or re-traumatization required.
Myth #5: "Once You Have PTSD, You'll Never Fully Recover"
I remember working with a mom who believed her trauma would always define her parenting. She'd grown up in a chaotic household and found herself repeating patterns she swore she'd never recreate – yelling at her kids when overwhelmed, then drowning in shame afterward. "This is just who I am now," she told me in our first session. But through consistent trauma therapy in Texas, she discovered something profound: her trauma responses weren't her destiny. They were patterns that could be rewired, stories that could be rewritten.
The science of trauma recovery has come a long way. We now understand that our brains have an amazing capacity for healing called neuroplasticity – the ability to form new neural pathways and patterns of response. This means that with the right support and tools, you can develop a new relationship with your past experiences and, more importantly, with yourself.
Recovery doesn't mean forgetting what happened or never feeling triggered again. Instead, it means developing a new set of responses, understanding your triggers, and having effective tools to manage them. It means being able to stay present with your children even when you're stressed, choosing your responses rather than reacting automatically, and treating yourself with the same compassion you'd show a friend.
The journey of healing might look different than you expect. Sometimes it's subtle – noticing that you can take a deep breath during moments that used to send you into panic. Other times it's profound – realizing you've gone weeks without being haunted by memories that used to visit daily. But always, it's possible.
Taking the First Step Toward Healing
If you've recognized yourself in any of these myths, you're not alone. More importantly, you're not stuck. The experience of trauma – whether it appears in your parenting, your relationships, or your daily life – doesn't have to be your permanent reality.
As a mom, you might be used to putting everyone else's needs before your own. You might even believe that working on your own healing is somehow selfish or indulgent. But consider this: your healing journey isn't just about you – it's about breaking cycles, showing your children what healthy coping looks like, and creating the peaceful, connected family life you've always wanted.
If you're ready to explore healing, I offer specialized therapy for moms that meets you exactly where you are. Whether you're drawn to the gentle yet powerful approaches of EMDR therapy or interested in exploring the innovative techniques of brainspotting therapy, we can find the right path forward together. I provide both in-person sessions in Houston and virtual therapy across Texas, ensuring that quality trauma support is accessible regardless of your location or schedule.
Not sure if you're ready for therapy? That's okay too. I offer free consultation calls where we can discuss your experiences and explore whether working together might be helpful. During this call, we can talk about your specific concerns and how approaches like EMDR or brainspotting might support your healing journey.
Taking the first step is often the hardest part, but you don't have to figure this out alone. When you're ready to move beyond survival mode and into genuine healing, I'm here to help you create the change you're seeking.
Ready to learn more? Schedule your free consultation call today.
