Conditions We Treat
PTSD & Trauma Treatment in California
Board-certified telepsychiatry anywhere in California, in English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Spanish.
We treat PTSD & trauma by telehealth anywhere in California. Your provider is board certified and speaks English, Punjabi, Hindi and Spanish.
At a Glance
- Secure video visits anywhere in California
- Care in English, Punjabi, Hindi, and Spanish
- Initial evaluation $250, follow-up visits $199
- HSA and FSA cards accepted, superbills on request
After a trauma, the mind can stay stuck in survival mode. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) brings flashbacks, nightmares, feeling on guard and avoiding reminders. These can last for months or years. Trauma changes the brain, and treatment helps it heal.
Mindful Sewa Psychiatry offers trauma-informed PTSD treatment by telehealth anywhere in California. You set the pace, and nothing is forced.
Trauma can come from many places. It might be a car crash, an assault, combat, a natural disaster, a sudden loss or abuse in childhood. Many people go through a trauma and recover in the weeks after. PTSD develops when symptoms last longer than a month and keep getting in the way of daily life.
PTSD does not mean you are weak. How the brain responds to trauma depends on many things. These include how long it lasted, whether you had support afterward and your earlier life experiences.
Some people lived through trauma again and again over years. This can have deep effects on trust, mood and relationships. It calls for careful, patient care that moves at your speed.
Signs and Symptoms of PTSD & Trauma
- Flashbacks or unwanted memories of the event
- Nightmares and broken sleep
- Avoiding reminders, places or talks
- Feeling on guard all the time or easily startled
- Irritability or angry outbursts
- Feeling numb or cut off from others
- Harsh beliefs about yourself or the world
- Gaps in memory around the trauma
How We Treat PTSD & Trauma by Telehealth
Treatment may include PTSD medicines that calm the alarm system, improve sleep and quiet nightmares. Options include SSRIs, and sometimes prazosin for trauma nightmares. We add grounding skills and a referral to trauma-focused therapy when it fits.
Trauma-informed care means you control what you share and when. Healing does not require telling the whole story on day one.
How Trauma Affects the Brain and Body
After trauma, the brain's alarm system can stay on high alert. It keeps scanning for danger even when you are safe. That is why a sound, a smell or a crowded room can bring back the feeling of the event. Your body reacts as if it is happening again.
This constant alert state wears you down. It can lead to poor sleep, tense muscles and headaches, along with trouble focusing. Many people with PTSD also notice changes in appetite, a short temper or feeling far from people they love.
Nightmares, waking in a panic and fear of falling asleep are common. Better sleep is often one of the first goals of treatment. Rest gives the brain room to heal and makes other work easier.
Trauma-Focused Therapy Options
Several therapies have strong research support for PTSD. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) helps you look at stuck beliefs, such as the belief that it was your fault or that you are never safe. You then weigh those beliefs against the facts.
Prolonged exposure therapy helps you slowly approach memories and places you have been avoiding, in a safe and planned way. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR for short, uses guided eye movements while you recall parts of the memory. These therapies are done with a trained trauma therapist.
Mindful Sewa focuses on psychiatric evaluation and medicine care, and also offers supportive psychotherapy sessions. If CPT, prolonged exposure or EMDR fits you best, we can help you find a referral while your medicine care continues by telehealth.
Medication for PTSD in More Detail
Two SSRIs, sertraline and paroxetine, are FDA approved for PTSD. Venlafaxine, an SNRI, is also often used. These medicines can ease unwanted memories, anxiety and low mood over several weeks.
Other medicines may target a single symptom, such as sleep or nightmares. Benzodiazepines are generally not advised for core PTSD symptoms. They are only considered when clinically appropriate and allowed under current telehealth rules. Your prescriber decides what fits, and the plan changes as you heal.
Alcohol and drugs can seem to quiet trauma symptoms for a night. Over time they usually make sleep and mood worse. Your evaluation asks about this without judgment, so the plan can support you honestly and safely.
PTSD Support Across California
Mindful Sewa treats PTSD by telehealth from anywhere in California. We see veterans, first responders, survivors of violence and people who have lived through fires, floods or other disasters. You join from a place where you feel safe.
Care is offered in English, Punjabi, Hindi and Spanish. Speaking your own language can make it easier to describe hard experiences. If you are thinking about harming yourself, call or text 988, or call 911. Our crisis resources page lists more help.
What to Expect at Your First Appointment
Your first visit is a safe, structured video talk. We look at symptoms and history at a pace you choose. We also screen for depression and substance use, which often come with PTSD. Then we agree on first steps you feel ready for.
Ready to start? Book a comprehensive evaluation, review our transparent fees, or take the symptoms quiz first.
Services for PTSD & Trauma
Medication Guides Related to PTSD & Trauma
These plain-language guides cover medicines used for PTSD & trauma. They are background reading, not advice. Your prescriber decides what fits you at your evaluation.
- Brexpiprazole (Rexulti), atypical antipsychotic
- Clonidine ER (Kapvay), non-stimulant ADHD medication (alpha-2 agonist)
- Fluvoxamine (Luvox), SSRI antidepressant
- Guanfacine ER (Intuniv), non-stimulant ADHD medication (alpha-2A agonist)
- Mirtazapine (Remeron), Atypical antidepressant (noradrenergic and specific serotonergic)
- Paroxetine (Paxil), SSRI antidepressant
- Prazosin (Minipress), alpha-1 blocker
- Sertraline (Zoloft), SSRI antidepressant
- Trazodone (Desyrel), Serotonin modulator (SARI) antidepressant
- Venlafaxine (Effexor XR), SNRI antidepressant
Related Reading
Articles from our provider on PTSD & trauma and related topics.
FAQ
Common Questions About PTSD & Trauma
Do I have to talk about my trauma in detail?
No. Psychiatric care for PTSD focuses on symptoms and recovery. You decide what to share and when. Your pace is the right pace.
Can PTSD show up years after the event?
Yes. Delayed PTSD is well known. Symptoms can surface after a new stress, a reminder or a big life change.
What medications help PTSD?
SSRIs are the first choice for core PTSD symptoms. Prazosin is sometimes used to reduce trauma nightmares. Help with sleep and anxiety is often part of the plan, and your prescriber decides what fits.
Is telehealth appropriate for trauma care?
Often, yes. Being in your own safe space can make trauma care feel easier than an unfamiliar office. A crisis still needs 988 or 911.
What is the difference between PTSD and complex PTSD?
PTSD often follows a single event or a short period of trauma. Complex PTSD is a term used when trauma happened again and again over a long time, such as ongoing abuse in childhood. It can bring extra struggles with trust, self-worth and handling emotions, and care is shaped around those needs.
Can I get PTSD from seeing something happen to someone else?
Yes. Seeing something terrible happen to another person can lead to PTSD. So can learning that a loved one faced violence or sudden harm. First responders and health workers can also develop it from repeated exposure to other people's trauma.
Why do I feel numb instead of upset?
Feeling numb is a common part of PTSD. The mind may shut down feelings to protect you from pain. Treatment can help feelings slowly return in a way that feels safe.
Can veterans be seen at Mindful Sewa?
Yes. Veterans can be seen as private pay patients by telehealth anywhere in California, alongside any care they get elsewhere. HSA and FSA cards are accepted, and superbills are available on request.
Can children have PTSD?
Yes. Children may show trauma through play, bad dreams, clinging, stomach aches or anger rather than words. Mindful Sewa treats children and teens with parents involved in the plan.
Related
Related Conditions We Treat
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
If your mind always finds something to worry about, like work, health, money or family, even when life is going fine, you may…
Depression
Depression is not weakness, laziness or something you can just push through. It is a medical condition. It affects mood, energy…
Insomnia
Sleep is not a luxury. It is the base of mental health. Chronic insomnia drains mood, focus, health and patience. It can cause…