Dr. Sandra de Blois brings Reconsolidation Therapy™ to the west coast.
Could it be as simple as taking a safe blood pressure-lowering medication and 6 trauma therapy sessions to permanently relieve you from your post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms?
This is exactly what Dr. Sandra de Blois sees in her clinical practice, based in British Columbia, Canada, by using a PTSD treatment method called Reconsolidation Therapy™.
Developed by Dr. Alain Brunet, McGill University, Reconsolidation Therapy™ is a revolutionary trauma therapy that allows painful emotional memories to be edited, or reconsolidated, without the negative emotional response associated with the traumatic event itself. The treatment allows you to keep all your memories but reduces the emotional burden tied to them.
Dr. de Blois is the first clinician in Western Canada to be trained in this highly effective treatment and she’s using it to change the lives of her patients.
It could not come at a better time!
As the world shifts to a new normal and navigates the reality of Covid-19, it’s comforting to know there are quick and safe ways to support ourselves through it. Of course, not everyone will experience the pandemic as trauma, but some will, while others face the risk of having old triggers resurface through this experience. Trauma and mental health-related conditions are, unfortunately, all too common already, and many of us are experiencing one of the most difficult times of our lives. Now, more than ever, we must have access to the tools we need to get through the potential side effects of experiencing this heightened global stress.
We’ll say it again, Dr. de Blois and Reconsolidation Therapy ™ could not have come to the west coast at a better time!
At this point, you may be asking yourself “how is this treatment different from other types of therapy?” Well to put it simply, Reconsolidation Therapy™ works with both the physical and psychological symptoms of PTSD to lessen the painful emotional response associated with recalling traumatic memories, all while keeping the original memory intact.
In short, you reduce the emotional pain associated with your trauma without losing the experience or memory and thus relieving you of your PTSD.
Seriously! This isn’t a plot from a sci-fi movie, Reconsolidation Therapy™ is supported by rigorous scientific research, randomized control trials, and clinical practice.
Here’s how it works, Reconsolidation Therapy™ uses a combination of psychotherapy, or “talk therapy” and a medication called propranolol. Propranolol is a beta-blocker and often prescribed to lower blood pressure or treat migraines. It works on a system in the body called the noradrenergic system, which when activated, manifests in the body as alertness, arousal, and stress. By using a drug that mitigates these symptoms of arousal, trained professionals, like Dr. de Blois, can help lessen the emotional burden caused by traumatic memories.
Some of the hallmark symptoms of PTSD include nightmares, anxiety attacks, and flashbacks, all of which have psychological and physiological symptoms. Reconsolidation Therapy™ gradually and sustainably reduces the emotional pain caused by PTSD, all while preserving the original memories. Patients are aware of the traumatic event but are able to distance themselves from it to the point where their trauma no longer rules their lives.
Sound too good to be true? Just wait, it gets better!
Not only is Reconsolidation Therapy™ safe and effective, but the effects last! Unfortunately, traditional PTSD therapy has extremely high relapse rates, whereas patients treated with Reconsolidation Therapy™ experience persistent relief with a 70% success rate.
A 2018 study published in the American Journal of Psychiatry, found that those suffering from PTSD, who recalled their traumatic event after having taken propranolol, once a week for up to 6 weeks showed a substantial improvement in their symptoms. This finding supports other research and is consistent with what both Dr. Alain Brunet and Dr. Sandra de Blois see in their professional practices, where hundreds of patients have been treated.
Prior to Reconsolidation Therapy™, the prevailing view of PTSD was that traumatic memories were mostly fixed and treatment often didn’t facilitate lasting change or relief. Thankfully, that isn’t the case anymore, and more and more promising research and clinical guidelines are emerging for the effectiveness of Dr. Brunet’s novel therapy.
It’s estimated that about 8% of the population will experience PTSD in their lifetime, with many suffering from debilitating symptoms with little reprieve for months or years. Dr. de Blois is offering an alternative and solution to this reality. She draws on years of academic and professional experience, specializing in trauma therapy, PTSD treatment, anxiety and depression, and supporting overall emotional wellness. Although she’s based out of BC, Dr. de Blois offers both in-person and online counseling to reach and support her patients. Her online practice allows her to provide the best treatment for PTSD possible and provide lasting trauma relief from anywhere. And with the continued need for social and physical distancing, this is great news to her current and future patients.
Speaking of great news for patients, her reviews as a clinician are awesome, with one patient reporting, “Now I can think of the event without having a huge emotional reaction. [It] is more like a memory from an unpleasant dream now. I am very thankful that this therapy was recommended as I can finally let go of a piece of my past and move onto bettering my future.”
An experience I think we can all hope for, to “move onto bettering [our] future”. Times are tough and uncertain; the whole world is feeling it and it’s nice to know support options are out there!
One last great feature of Reconsolidation Therapy™, yes, there’s more, is how quickly it works. Dr. de Blois’s treatment program takes only 8 weeks to complete, whereas conventional PTSD treatment options can take months or years, and often with minimal success rates.
We can’t stress enough how important mental health is right now and we’re so grateful for Reconsolidation Therapy™ and Dr. de Blois’s work.
If you find yourself or a loved one struggling with mental health or otherwise just want some more resources, check out Dr. de Blois’s website. Her website is also a great place to learn more about Reconsolidation Therapy™ and other types of trauma counseling.
Reconsolidation Therapy™ isn’t just about healing your memories, it’s about restoring hope and getting you your life back.
Let’s hear it one more time for Dr. de Blois!