ABSTRACT
A person can have traumatic symptoms not meeting a full PTSD diagnosis yet still be impacted by their experience, and be deserving of support and treatment. This chapter builds on the skills and information learned in the previous chapter as the reader continues to identify more about their own trauma responses and symptoms. Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) symptoms are addressed and the reader has an opportunity to screen themselves for symptoms using the PCL-5, a commonly used screening questionnaire for trauma. Delayed onset of symptoms can also occur with traumatic events across the reproductive or perinatal period, with some people experiencing symptoms starting months or longer after the original event(s). For example, this can occur when the baby comes home from the NICU, breastfeeding difficulties start to resolve or when the person becomes pregnant again. Exercises are provided to aid the reader in exploring more about their specific experience(s) and their triggers. This sets the foundation for future chapters and skills introduced to manage symptoms and trauma reactions.
