Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment Center and Hospital in LaPlace, LA

Learn More About Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Treatment at River Place Behavioral Health Hospital

Posttraumatic stress disorder, or PTSD, is a mental health condition that can develop after a person experiences, witnesses, or learns about a traumatic event. There are a number of traumatic situations that can lead to the onset of PTSD including war, terrorism, natural disasters, car crashes, losing a loved one, and being abused, among many others. The symptoms of PTSD may manifest in a variety of forms. Night terrors, reliving the trauma, heightened startle response, severe anxiety, and chronic paranoia are only a few of the many symptoms that may affect a person who is suffering from PTSD. It is a devastating disorder and, in order to truly recover, people with PTSD must receive professional treatment.

At River Place Behavioral Health, we are sensitive to the needs of individuals who are struggling with posttraumatic stress disorder. We recognize that experiencing trauma affects everyone differently, but the severity of symptoms can have an immensely negative impact on the lives of those afflicted by PTSD. For this reason, we offer treatment from a place of compassion, putting the needs of our patients first in order to ensure that they learn the coping skills needed to put their challenges behind them.

Helping a Loved One or Family Member Get Treatment for PTSD

Learning that your loved one has faced a traumatic event can be heart-breaking. But if your loved one then goes on to develop symptoms of PTSD, it can be even more upsetting. You likely want to do anything and everything you can to help your loved one, but may be unsure as to where to start. Below are some suggestions for ways that you help your loved one take the first steps towards healing:

• Be mindful of your loved one’s needs. Some people with PTSD may find comfort in the presence of others, while other people may find solace in being alone. While you don’t want to encourage your loved one to enter a place of isolation, you do want to be respectful of what will be least intrusive to him or her.
• Initiate an open conversation with your loved one. Emphasize that you are coming from a place of concern and not judgment. Explain why you feel he or she needs treatment, but do so in a way that allows him or her to express how he or she is feeling as well. You may be met with some initial resistance, but don’t let that discourage you.
• Research treatment centers that offer specialized programming for individuals who are suffering from PTSD and the effects of trauma. Due to the nature of this disorder, the programming that your loved one engages in must be sensitive to his or her needs. Share your findings with your loved one and encourage him or her to give you feedback.
• If your loved one makes the decision to receive treatment, be a supportive presence throughout his or her journey to recovery. Starting from before he or she begins treatment and lasting until long after treatment has ended, remain a constant, steady, and supportive presence in your loved one’s life.

Why Consider Treatment for PTSD at River Place Behavioral Health

When a person is suffering from PTSD and does not receive professional treatment, his or her overall social, mental, and physical wellbeing will be affected. People with PTSD often struggle to maintain focus, which can lead to difficulties at work or school. These people may also begin to push their friends and family members away, believing that they cannot understand what they are going through because they have not experienced trauma. Remaining isolated opens up the door for those with PTSD to spend increasing amounts of time focusing on their distress. As these thoughts become all-consuming, they may turn to drugs, alcohol, and/or self-harm as a means of coping with their turmoil. Suicidal ideation is also a common occurrence among individuals suffering from PTSD, and those thoughts can quickly cross the line and become actions.

Fortunately, there is help available. PTSD is a treatable condition and with the right types of supports, therapies, and medication (when appropriate), individuals who are suffering from PTSD can resume living a happy, healthy life.

Types of Treatment for PTSD at River Place Behavioral Health

Located in LaPlace, Louisiana, and serving the New Orleans metropolitan area, River Place Behavioral Health is a new, state-of-the-art inpatient mental and behavioral health treatment center. With updated technology to provide the best care for our patients, electronic medical records for ensuring prompt retrieval of pertinent information, and a secluded area that offers privacy, River Place is an ideal setting for you to begin healing from the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder.

At River Place Behavioral Health, we recognize that people respond to various treatment interventions differently, and one’s age can be a major factor in how he or she processes the skills he or she is learning. For this reason, we offer specialized treatment tracks for adolescents and adults. Each program is designed to meet the specific needs of each population, ensuring that all participants achieve true and lasting healing.

Regardless of which program you take part in, we will provide you with an individualized treatment plan that outlines the specific therapeutic interventions and treatment modalities that will best help you begin to heal from the effects PTSD. Within this treatment plan, the following services may be offered:

Medical care: If you are in need of medical care during your time at River Place, our internal medicine clinicians, advanced registered nurse practitioners (ARNPs), and other nurses are available to provide daily services.

Medication management: When you are being treated for PTSD, certain medications may be recommended to alleviate distressing symptoms. Your need for medication management services will be assessed upon admission and throughout your stay. You will have access to these services, which will include close monitoring of the effects of your medications, three times per week.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy is offered on an as-needed basis. It serves as a time for you to work one-on-one with a social worker or counselor to process the challenges you are facing, address any concerns you may be having, and celebrate successes as you achieve them.

Group therapy: Group therapy is an integral part of the treatment process when receiving care for the symptoms of PTSD, and you will participate in group sessions on a daily basis. These sessions are led by social workers, counselors, nurses, and behavioral health technicians, and may include discussions on the following topics:

• Communities
• Life management
• Goals
• Self-esteem building
• Daily living skills
• Coping skills

Family therapy: Recognizing that mental health disorders can affect your entire family, we provide family therapy sessions so as to allow you and your loved ones the opportunity to process through the challenges you have faced and work towards coming together as a strong, healthy family unit. Family therapy sessions are led by counselors, social workers, and psychiatrists, depending on the specific needs of your family.

Experiential therapies: In order to provide you with a holistic approach to care as you learn to manage the symptoms PTSD, we offer a number of experiential therapies that complement the more traditional forms of therapy. By taking part in these activities at our hospital, you can achieve healing on all levels – mind, body, and spirit. Our experiential therapies include the following:

• Movement / exercise
• Art therapy
• Music therapy

Continuing Care After Inpatient Treatment for Mental Illness

Inpatient treatment is often only the first step in the process of learning to fully manage the symptoms of PTSD. This level of care is designed to help you achieve stabilization and begin developing coping skills and additional tools that allow you to jumpstart your recovery. But once inpatient care has come to an end, you may benefit from receiving ongoing outpatient services. These services will help you solidify the skills you learned while in inpatient treatment, and truly thrive as you move forward.

Various levels of outpatient care are available. Our recommendations for the specific level that will be of most benefit to you will be based upon your unique needs and treatment goals. When you begin treatment at River Place, we will immediately start developing a discharge plan that will outline recommendations for follow-up care.

River Place is focused solely on providing inpatient care. However, once your time for discharge arrives, we will provide referrals for outside resources that deliver necessary continuing care.

At River Place Behavioral Health, we are dedicated to ensuring that all of your needs are met. Our support does not end when you leave our hospital. Instead, we will continue to provide ongoing encouragement and assistance as you step down to the next level of care and rejoin your community.

If you or a loved one is in need of comprehensive treatment to heal from the effects of posttraumatic stress disorder, look no further than River Place Behavioral Health. Our knowledgeable and compassionate staff members are available to answer any questions you may have, and to help you decide if our hospital is the right fit for you.