PTSD Treatment

Medically Reviewed by: Marjorie Gies, M.D., Psychiatrist & Medical Director

What We Offer

Our PTSD Treatment

If you are struggling with symptoms of PTSD, help is available at Casa Serena. Our PTSD treatment center in California offers evidence-based mental health treatment that helps individuals manage their symptoms for improved well-being in daily life.

Trauma impacts people of all ages and genders. Being a victim of trauma or witnessing a traumatic event is an all too common occurrence for thousands of people each year. Unfortunately, much of what we see in the news and on social media today can also contribute to trauma for many people. Post-traumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health struggle rooted in trauma.

What is Trauma?

Trauma may be different things to different people. Some common examples of trauma include abuse, serious injury, illness, natural disasters, assault, and experiencing or witnessing violence. It is also possible to develop PTSD by learning about traumatic experiences involving a friend or loved one. Although many other circumstances might be defined as traumatic for one person but not for another, each can lead to serious, complex mental health struggles that require comprehensive treatment to safely and successfully address.

Who Does PTSD Affect?

Many people relate post-traumatic stress disorder to specific individuals or professions such as soldiers, emergency medical services providers, firefighters, police officers, and similar. While trauma is often a part of the work environment for these individuals, trauma is not limited to specific professions. Post-traumatic stress disorder or PTSD can result from different types of trauma. For many, PTSD develops after they directly witness or experience a traumatic event.

Know the signs

PTSD Symptoms

When someone experiences symptoms related to a post-traumatic stress disorder, they may experience a range of symptoms related to powerful and intense thoughts and emotions. Often, thoughts and feelings explicitly related to the trauma or traumatic event persist long after the situation that led to trauma has been resolved. These thoughts are disturbing, painful, and challenging to manage. For some, flashbacks and nightmares lead to consistently reliving the event. In contrast, others experience heightened awareness and increased reactivity to ordinary stimuli such as balloons popping, hands clapping, a door slamming, or even the touch or embrace of someone else. People who struggle with PTSD will go out of their way to avoid specific situations (such as places, events, and people) that remind them of traumatic events.

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What to Expect in PTSD Treatment Centers for Women?

The symptoms you experience when you struggle with PTSD are pervasive, overwhelming, and often seem impossible to manage without help and support. Like many other mental health struggles, it is crucial to seek help for PTSD early to receive the most effective and comprehensive treatment possible. It is also important to note that the symptoms you experience when struggling with PTSD may not look the same as those of someone else. For this reason, it is crucial to seek help at a treatment center like Casa Serena, where members of the treatment team will work with you to design a treatment plan based specifically on your needs, symptoms, and desired treatment outcomes.

Treatment Programs

The most effective treatment programs for post-traumatic stress disorder are those that incorporate a combination of therapeutic models to produce a holistic, well-rounded treatment program. At a PTSD treatment center for women, you can expect to participate in a variety of evidence-based treatment options and support groups. Additionally, depending on your specific needs and the severity of your symptoms, your mental health provider may recommend medications to help alleviate the severity of some of the more intense symptoms so you can focus on therapy and recovery.

Psychotherapy

A vital component of recovery from PTSD is psychotherapy. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is a frequently used, highly effective therapeutic model used to address a wide range of mental health struggles and concerns. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (often referred to as simply CBT) is a therapy modality designed to help you identify and examine the negative thoughts that lead to painful symptoms. Although it may seem challenging at first, it is crucial to consider the thoughts you have about your trauma and how those thoughts are contributing to your struggles in overcoming PTSD. You will be encouraged to remember the feelings you had at the time of the event, as well as consider the feelings you still have now. Once you better understand your thoughts and emotions surrounding the event, it is possible to “change” those thoughts to develop healthier, more effective ways of managing your trauma.

Various Modalities

At a women’s PTSD treatment center, therapy sessions will take place in various environments, including one-to-one therapy and group or peer support sessions. The most important element of seeking help for PTSD in a woman’s treatment center is that therapy occurs in a safe and supported environment where you can feel safe recalling trauma and communicating about your trauma. As part of therapy, you will learn and practice effective coping strategies to use when thoughts, emotions, or actions directly related to your trauma are triggered. At Casa Serena, our treatment centers are women-focused, meaning you will be surrounded by a group of like-minded women who share a similar experience and similar treatment goals. The ability to work towards recovery surrounded by peers allows you to learn, grow, and progress towards resolving unhealthy feelings about trauma in an environment where you feel safe and supported throughout the treatment process.

Medications

In addition to therapy, your treatment team may suggest specific medications to help you manage your PTSD symptoms so you can focus on treatment. Based on the intensity of your symptoms and the level to which they interfere with your treatment success, antidepressants, anti-anxiety medications, or sleep aids may be included in your program for a short time.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment

PTSD in Women

Unfortunately, the type of trauma that leads to post-traumatic stress disorder is not rare. It is believed as many as six out of every ten men and five out of every ten women will experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime. Each year, as many as 8 million adults in the United States meet the diagnostic criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder. Of those, nearly 40% will struggle with severe mental health impairment resulting from their symptoms.

Although, as previously noted, post-traumatic stress disorder can affect both genders, a vast body of statistics indicates there are notable gender differences in the prevalence of PTSD for men and women. Based on data from the National Center for PTSD, approximately 4% of men will experience PTSD during their lives; however, more than 10% of women will struggle with the same mental health condition. Additionally, multiple research studies suggest women are more than twice as likely to experience post-traumatic stress disorder. Several factors could lead to the difference in prevalence rates between PTSD in women and men. Examples include the type of trauma, gender expectations, and coping strategies for stress.

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