Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Treatment & Evaluation in Austin and Surrounding Areas
Living with PTSD can feel like your body is stuck in “danger mode,” even when you’re safe. A smell, a sound, a flash of memory—and suddenly your heart is pounding, your chest is tight, and you’re back inside something you desperately want to forget. Nights bring restless sleep, vivid nightmares, and the dread of waking up already exhausted. Days get smaller: you avoid places, people, and conversations that might trigger it; you’re on guard in grocery lines, at stoplights, even at home. You may replay what happened and wonder why you didn’t do something different. That shame isn’t the truth—it’s the nervous system trying to make sense of what overwhelmed it. If this is you, you’re not “broken” and you’re not alone. I help people gently loosen trauma’s grip so they can feel steady in their bodies, present in their relationships, and at home in their own lives again. When you’re ready, reach out—I’m here to help you find real relief and lasting stability.
Understanding Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Plain-English definition: PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after living through or witnessing a traumatic event, such as violence, abuse, accidents, disasters, or medical trauma.
Adults vs. stereotypes: PTSD isn’t just flashbacks—it can show up as avoidance, hypervigilance, emotional numbness, or sudden bursts of anger.
Common symptoms:
Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Feeling constantly “on edge” or easily startled
Avoidance of reminders of the trauma
Emotional numbness or detachment from others
Difficulty concentrating or sleeping
Why it’s often missed: Many people don’t connect their current anxiety, irritability, or insomnia to a trauma from years ago. It can be misdiagnosed as depression, generalized anxiety, or personality changes.
My Diagnostic Process
Comprehensive intake — understanding your personal history, current symptoms, and triggers.
Evidence-based assessments — validated PTSD screening tools and structured interviews.
Differential diagnosis — identifying if symptoms stem from PTSD alone or alongside depression, anxiety, or other conditions.
Personalized plan — targeting both symptom relief and long-term healing.
Treatment Tailored to You
Trauma-focused therapy such as trauma-focused CBT.
Medication support when appropriate to manage anxiety, depression, or sleep disturbances.
Skills for emotional regulation and grounding so you can manage triggers in real time.
Lifestyle and support integration — improving sleep, movement, and daily routines to strengthen recovery.
Why My Practice is Different
Most online advice about PTSD is either overly clinical or too vague. I believe in giving you practical, usable knowledge from day one so you:
Understand why your mind and body are reacting this way
See every available treatment path
Get clarity and hope before you even schedule your first session
Actionable Steps You Can Take Today — PTSD
If you’re triggered right now (5–10 minutes)
Orient to the present. Name 5 things you see, 4 you feel, 3 you hear, 2 you smell, 1 you taste. Say the date, time, and where you are out loud.
Feet + breath. Plant both feet, press toes into the floor. Inhale 4, exhale 6–8 for 10 rounds. Longer exhales downshift the alarm system.
Temperature shift. Splash cool water on your face or hold a cold pack to the cheeks/neck for ~30 seconds.
Butterfly hug. Cross arms over chest, tap left–right–left–right slowly while breathing.
Grounding phrase. “I’m safe enough right now. This is a memory, not a mandate.”
When a flashback hits
Differentiate “then vs now.” Describe 3 details that prove it’s now (e.g., “blue couch, phone in my hand, afternoon light”).
Anchor object. Keep a textured stone/coin; describe it to yourself to pull focus to the present.
Containment image. Picture placing the memory in a strong box you can reopen later; set a 10-minute timer if you want to return on purpose, then close it again.
Move your eyes/head. Gently scan the room left to right with your eyes or head; keep breathing.
Calm the body so the mind can follow
Physiological sigh x 10. Two short inhales through the nose, one long mouth exhale.
Progressive release. Tense a muscle group for 5 seconds, release for 10—work from feet to face.
Vocal vagal cue. Hum, sing, or read aloud for 2 minutes.
Shake it out. Light whole-body shaking for 60–90 seconds to discharge excess adrenaline.
Map triggers and make micro-plans
Trigger map. List common triggers; mark red (overwhelming), yellow (manageable), green (safe).
If-then plans. “If I hear sirens, then I’ll do 4/6 breathing and text a check-in emoji to [name].”
Anniversary awareness. Note dates/times of year that spike symptoms; pre-plan extra margin and soothing activities.
Work with avoidance (without flooding)
10% approach. Choose a tiny step toward what you avoid (e.g., stand outside a busy store for 2 minutes).
Time-box + exit. Set a 5-minute timer, do the step, then leave on purpose.
De-brief. Jot what you noticed in your body, what helped, and one thing you’d tweak next time.
Dissociation & feeling “far away”
Strong sensory input. Peppermint gum, citrus scent, textured ice cube in a napkin, or a rubber band gently snapped on the wrist.
Name 5 facts. Full name, age, today’s date, city, one thing you’ll do next.
Posture cue. Press back against a wall, knees slightly bent; feel the support.
Nighttime support (nightmares, middle-of-the-night spikes)
Wind-down script (20–30 min). Dim lights → write tomorrow’s top 3 → warm shower → brief stretch → in bed.
Nightmare rescript (daytime). Write the nightmare; rewrite an ending where you escape, get help, or change the scene. Read the new version daily for a week.
Middle-of-the-night rule. If awake ~20 minutes, low light, calm activity in a chair; return to bed only when sleepy.
Thought skills that reduce the “mental glue”
Label, don’t argue. “This is a trauma memory,” “This is my alarm system overfiring.”
Name the part. “A scared part of me thinks ____; another part knows ____.”
Externalize. Imagine thoughts as headlines scrolling by. You can read them without climbing into the story.
Re-build everyday safety
Predictability pockets. Same wake time, same first 10 minutes each morning.
Seat choice. If it helps, sit facing the door with your back protected in meetings/cafés.
Exit cues. Agree on a discreet signal with a friend/partner to leave triggering situations.
Body care that steadies the system
Food rhythm. Regular meals with protein/complex carbs; big spikes/crashes can mimic anxiety.
Caffeine/alcohol audit. Reduce both if you notice nighttime jolts or next-day edginess.
Walks in daylight. 10–20 minutes outside most days supports circadian rhythm and mood.
Gentle journaling (without spiraling)
2-minute timer. Write whatever shows up; stop when the timer ends.
Close with grounding. Three things you can see, two you can hear, one you can feel.
Never force details if your body says “no.” The goal is regulation, not re-living.
Connection without overexposure
Name two people you can text a simple “🟢/🟡/🔴” check-in to.
Script the ask. “I don’t need solutions—just sit with me 10 minutes while I breathe.”
Boundaries are care. It’s okay to decline conversations, media, or places that spike symptoms.
Create a micro “grounding kit”
Pocket items: textured object, mini scent, short coping card.
Phone note: your top three steps for flashbacks.
Earplugs/earbuds: quick noise control for crowded spaces.
One-page daily plan
Morning anchor: [light walk / 5-minute breath / stretch].
Midday reset: [2-minute physiological sigh + snack + water].
Evening downshift: [dim lights + warm shower + brief journal].
My grounding phrase: “[write yours]”.
Track one simple thing for 7 days
Pick just one: number of grounding reps, minutes of daylight, days you used your evening downshift, or times you practiced 10% approach. Small, repeatable wins teach your nervous system “we can come back to calm.”
If you’re ever in immediate danger or having thoughts of harming yourself or others, seek emergency help right away.
PTSD Often Comes with Company
PTSD frequently co-occurs with depression, generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, substance use, and sleep problems. Treating PTSD effectively means addressing the full picture, not just the trauma memories.
Serving Austin and Beyond
I provide PTSD treatment for clients in:
Austin, Barton Creek, Bastrop, Bee Cave, Bertram, Blanco, Briarcliff, Brushy Creek, Buda, Burnet, Cedar Park, Circle C, Creedmoor, Dripping Springs, Elgin, Florence, Georgetown, Granger, Great Hills, Hays, Hutto, Jarrell, Johnson City, Jonestown, Jollyville, Kyle, Lago Vista, Lakeway, Leander, Liberty Hill, Lockhart, Luling, Manor, Marble Falls, Martindale, Meadowlakes, Mountain City, Mustang Ridge, New Braunfels, Niederwald, Pflugerville, Point Venture, River Place, Rollingwood, Round Rock, San Marcos, Smithville, Steiner Ranch, Sunset Valley, Taylor, The Domain, The Hills, Thrall, Volente, Webberville, Weir, West Lake Hills, Wimberley, Woodcreek, Zilker, and throughout all of Texas!