Treatment for Trauma and PTSD Symptoms in Women

While trauma is usually thought of as an experience that often involves a threat to your physical safety or life, any overwhelming or isolating situation can cause a traumatic impact. The more fearful and helpless you feel emotionally, the more likely it is that trauma is the cause.

Trauma may result from single, sustained, or overlooked events:

• An accident, injury, or violent attack, particularly during childhood
• Natural disasters, life-threatening illness, repeated bullying, domestic violence, or neglect
• Surgery (especially in early childhood), death of a relative, end of a significant relationship, or an incident of cruelty

Our trauma-focused program unites the best in advanced clinical therapies and contemporary addiction medicine. We provide sophisticated care for women that paves the way for lifelong recovery by a skilled, multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, and masters-level therapists.

Symptoms of trauma include:

• • Nightmares
  • Relationship problems
  • Compulsive behaviors
  • Shock
  • Extreme stress
  • Irritability
  • Anxiety
  • Fear
  • Insomnia
  • Disordered eating
  • Changes in sleeping habits
  • Socialization issues
  • Anger
  • Panic attacks
  • Memory loss

Evidence-based trauma treatment is part of every program at Hannah’s House. Each woman who arrives at Hannah’s House will receive an individualized treatment plan to address their disturbing and traumatic childhood and adult experiences.

Trauma therapies at Hannah’s House include:

• Individual and group therapy
• Meditation training
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Biofeedback
• Neurofeedback

Stressful life events that break your sense of security and result in feelings of helplessness can leave effects long after they conclude. Sexual or physical assault, natural disasters, pandemics, stress related to military combat, and betrayal by trusted friends or family can cause PTSD.

PTSD symptoms in women include:

• Adverse changes in feelings and beliefs
• Fluctuating moods
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Recurrent, unwanted, intrusive thoughts
• Nightmares or flashbacks
• Withdrawal from loved ones
• Continuous hypervigilance
• Unwarranted anger
• Dissociative mental experiences
• Inability to function with daily tasks
• Exaggerated reaction to events
• Episodes of panic
• Inability to concentrate
• Insomnia

Women with PTSD may seek relief through the frequent use of alcoholic beverages and drugs as a coping mechanism. Substance use often aggravates existing PTSD symptoms. Since intoxication can impair judgment and decision-making, misusing substances can lead to additional trauma, such as accidents, sexual abuse, or physical violence. We help women who have experienced trauma manage their responses to feelings of distress by learning to regulate their emotions and work on healthier choices to turn to when the feelings of panic return.

Women need a safe, gender-separate space to recover where they can process the cause and effects of their trauma. Our gender-separate treatment philosophy utilizes clinical data and professional experience.  By creating a nurturing, safe environment where women can focus on all aspects of personal healing without the added distraction of interacting with men, we’ve found we can substantially improve outcomes. This supportive environment provides women with space to improve how they communicate and relate to each other. In this way, women at Hannah’s House learn to model acceptable behaviors and participate in a true community.

Treatment for trauma-related disorders such as PTSD must address the traumatizing experiences. Our targeted therapies help women reprocess memories and associated reactions and develop healthier coping mechanisms. Hannah’s House treats the underlying trauma while empowering women to lead their lives independently, without relying on substances.

Recovery is possible. Our Hannah’s House specialists are licensed therapists and master’s-level clinicians. Our multidisciplinary team offers customized, evidence-based treatment plans, including:

• Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Neurofeedback
• Biofeedback
• Mindfulness training and meditation
• Individual therapy or group therapy