PTSD & Trauma Treatment in Portland, ME | Portland Mental Health & Psychiatry

Understanding PTSD

What Is PTSD & Trauma?

Post-traumatic stress disorder can develop after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying event. The brain's alarm system stays switched on long after the danger has passed, producing intrusive memories, hypervigilance, and emotional numbness that can persist for years.

PTSD is treatable. Trauma-focused therapies help the brain process what happened so it stops intruding on the present, and coordinated psychiatric care — including Spravato when PTSD occurs alongside treatment-resistant depression — can help when symptoms are severe. Care here is coordinated and paced to feel safe.

Portland Mental Health & Psychiatry reception area in Portland, Maine — Our Portland, Maine clinic

Recognizing the Signs

Common Signs & Symptoms

Everyone is different, and this list is not exhaustive. A licensed clinician can provide an accurate evaluation.

Intrusive memories, flashbacks, or nightmares
Severe distress when reminded of the trauma
Avoiding people, places, or thoughts tied to the event
Hypervigilance and being easily startled
Negative changes in mood, beliefs, or self-view
Emotional numbness or detachment from others
Difficulty sleeping or concentrating
Irritability, anger, or reckless behavior

By the Numbers

PTSD in Context

~6%

of U.S. adults will experience PTSD at some point in their lives

12M

adults have PTSD in a given year

2x

PTSD frequently co-occurs with depression, doubling the need for integrated care

Sources: U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs National Center for PTSD; National Institute of Mental Health.

Types & Presentations

How Trauma Can Present

Acute Stress & PTSD

What it is: Trauma symptoms in the weeks after an event (acute) that can become PTSD when they persist beyond a month.

Signs: Flashbacks, avoidance, hyperarousal, sleep disruption.

How we treat it: Trauma-focused therapy; medication and interventional support as needed.

Complex Trauma

What it is: Results from prolonged or repeated trauma, often in childhood or relationships.

Signs: Difficulty with emotion regulation, self-worth, and trust in addition to core PTSD symptoms.

How we treat it: Phased, skills-based trauma therapy with coordinated psychiatric care.

PTSD with Depression

What it is: PTSD frequently co-occurs with major or treatment-resistant depression.

Signs: Overlapping numbness, hopelessness, and intrusive symptoms.

How we treat it: Integrated therapy plus coordinated psychiatry, with Spravato as an option for treatment-resistant depression.

How We Help

Treatment for PTSD at Portland Mental Health & Psychiatry

Effective PTSD care usually pairs trauma-focused therapy with the right medical support. For severe symptoms — especially alongside treatment-resistant depression — coordinated psychiatric care can create the stability that makes trauma processing possible.

Primary Treatment

Therapy & Counseling

For ptsd, we most often lead with Therapy & Counseling. Explore how it works and whether it's right for you.

Learn About Therapy & Counseling

Other treatments we may combine or consider:

Psychiatry & Medication Management Spravato (Esketamine)

Our Approach

Evidence-Based Care

Our clinicians tailor proven approaches to your needs.

Trauma-focused CBT

helps you safely process and reframe traumatic memories.

EMDR

uses guided bilateral stimulation to reduce the charge of traumatic memories.

Prolonged Exposure & CPT

evidence-based protocols specifically for PTSD.

Skills for grounding & regulation

manage flashbacks and hyperarousal day to day.

Medication Management

Our psychiatrists provide medication management for PTSD symptoms such as nightmares, hyperarousal, and co-occurring depression — coordinated closely with your therapist.

Explore Psychiatry

Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

It's common, and we treat both together. When depression is severe or treatment-resistant, Spravato can create a window of stability that makes trauma therapy more effective. We'll assess whether it fits your situation.

Trauma therapy is paced with your consent and safety first. Effective approaches like EMDR don't require reliving every detail aloud.

Many trauma-focused protocols run 8–16 sessions, though complex trauma often benefits from a longer, phased approach.

Yes. We accept the VA Community Care Network and coordinate care for veterans and their families.

PTSD & Trauma Treatment in Portland, Maine