SAFETY HARBOR, Fla. — May marks Mental Health Awareness Month, and there is a therapist in Safety Harbor who has developed a specialty when it comes to people’s mental health following personal injury trauma. For instance, being involved in a car accident.
There was a period of Katie Parman’s life where she’d have a panic attack every time she started her car.
“I was experiencing things that I never did before. I was like nauseous when I got behind the wheel. If a semi was passing me, I’d freeze,” said Parman.
These feelings go back four years, when she was involved in a hit-and-run accident with two of her children in the vehicle.
“And a lady came over three lanes of traffic and side-swiped my driver's front fender all the way back to my truck bed,” said Parman. “I was very shaken up by my kids being in the car.”
Parman didn’t suffer any physical injuries, but mentally, she was in need of support. That’s when she was introduced to therapist Cindy Sterling of Sterling Cognitive Wellness.
“My primary specialty is working with people for personal injury trauma, helping them to process the trauma that they experienced,” said Sterling.
Sterling knew all too well what Parman was going through because she had lived it herself.
“In 2004, a freak accident, a piece of metal went under my car when I was on the highway, sheared my gas tank, leaving a trail of gas behind me,” said Sterling. “I saw the gas ignite, and it was like dynamite coming up to my car, but for the most part, I wasn’t physically injured. What I sustained were psychological injuries, and struggled with panic attacks for 16 years until I learned some very specific techniques, so that’s where I kind of got to where I am now.”
Sterling works with hundreds of clients a year living with symptoms of PTSD following traumatic accidents.
“So to have a voice, to have an advocate out there saying, ‘What you are experiencing is common, let's get you some help,’” said Sterling.
Parman didn’t realize how important it was to speak with a professional, but now that she has, the results have been life-changing.
“After Cindy, I have more clarity. I can get there. I know exactly what I’m doing. It's like, 'Okay, you want to pass me at 110? That’s cool. You want to slam on your brakes? That's alright,' I adjust to what is happening around me and I’m calmer when said things happen,” said Parman.
“With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, I would like to challenge anyone who hasn’t experienced some counseling or therapy. If you are struggling with any area of life, reach out, give it a shot, try something new, because it may just make your life a little bit better,” said Sterling.
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