PTSD & Trauma-Related Conditions
Trauma is not just what happened to you — it's how your nervous system responded to what happened, and how that response can persist long after the event itself has ended. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma-related conditions develop when the body and mind's natural stress response gets "stuck," continuing to react as though the danger is still present.
Trauma can result from a single event (an accident, assault, medical crisis, natural disaster) or from prolonged or repeated experiences (childhood adversity, ongoing abuse, combat exposure, medical trauma). Both can produce lasting changes in how a person's brain and body respond to stress, safety, and connection.
What to Expect
Recovery from trauma is not linear, and there is no fixed timeline. Treatment is collaborative: you are involved in decisions about pacing, approach, and what feels safe to work on when. The goal isn't to erase what happened, but to help your nervous system — and your life — no longer be organized around it.
Common Trauma-Related Conditions
PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) — develops after exposure to a traumatic event and involves intrusive symptoms, avoidance, negative changes in mood or thinking, and changes in arousal or reactivity that persist beyond a month
Acute Stress Disorder — similar symptoms occurring in the first month after a traumatic event
Complex PTSD (C-PTSD) — associated with prolonged or repeated trauma, often in childhood or in situations of captivity or dependency; in addition to core PTSD symptoms, this often includes difficulties with emotional regulation, self-concept, and relationships
Adjustment Disorders — significant emotional or behavioral symptoms in response to an identifiable stressor, without meeting full criteria for PTSD
Treatment
Psychotherapy is generally considered the front-line, most strongly evidence-supported treatments for PTSD. Common therapy modalities used for trauma include trauma-focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), Brainspotting, ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy) and Internal Family Systems.
Medication can play a role for some people, particularly when symptoms are severe or co-occurring conditions (like depression) are present; and when the severity of symptoms impairs progress in therapy. Medication decisions are individualized, and — consistent with our broader approach — are periodically reassessed rather than assumed to be indefinite. See our page on deprescribing for more on how and when we revisit long-term medication use.
Nervous System & Body-Based Approaches are essential because trauma affects the body as much as the mind, treatment often includes:
Sleep support — sleep disruption is both a common symptom and a factor that can worsen other trauma symptoms if unaddressed
Movement and somatic approaches — practices that help regulate the nervous system directly, alongside talk-based therapy
Mindfulness and grounding techniques — tools for managing distress and hyperarousal in the moment
Functional and Integrative considerations have a role since chronic traumatic stress can have measurable effects on physical health over time. Where clinically appropriate, we consider ordering labs (to explore inflammatory markers, hormonal and metabolic factors) and nutritional status. There are many evidence-based supplements which can also address nervous system dysregulation and impact sleep, hypervigilance, and nervousness.