PTSD / Trauma Related Content

Video: Understanding Trauma and Trauma-Related Disorders

When it comes to recognizing and addressing trauma and trauma-related disorders, it’s important to separate fact from fiction. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), for example, is often associated exclusively with the horrors of war, but it’s a myth that only veterans of combat develop the...

Video: 3East – McLean’s DBT Programs for Teens

For some young people, it can be challenging to navigate everyday life. Some may struggle with worrisome thoughts or risky behaviors. Some may have trouble navigating relationships or emotions. Many may be encountering mental health symptoms that they cannot manage on their own. The 3East programs...

Video: Decoding Distress – BPD, PTSD, and the Fine Line Between

Borderline personality disorder (BPD) and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are two very distinct mental health conditions—each marked by specific diagnostic criteria and treatment approaches. But BPD and PTSD symptoms often overlap, and it’s not uncommon for someone to struggle with both...

Refugee Mental Health: What You Need To Know

The percentage of children, adults, and older adults forced to leave their homes to avoid danger and death has steadily risen over the last several decades. While many are refugees—those forced to leave their home country—there are many more people who are internally displaced persons, or IDPs...

New Insights Into Trauma-Related Intrusive Memories in PTSD

Trauma-related intrusive memories (TR-IMs)—memories related to a traumatic event that come to mind spontaneously—are central symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and may be critical treatment targets for PTSD. Their frequency and intensity are usually measured with retrospective reports...

Psychedelic Therapy: Transforming Mental Health Care

In the quiet, dimly lit room, a patient sits comfortably, surrounded by soft music and gentle voices guiding them through a journey of self-discovery. This isn’t a scene from a science fiction novel but a groundbreaking approach to mental health treatment known as psychedelic-assisted therapy. As...

Honorary Trustee Establishes Fund To Support Hill Center Staff

It started with a phone call. Jeanne Blake, a McLean Hospital honorary trustee, had provided philanthropic support to the Trauma Continuum of Care at the Hill Center. Now, she heard that hospital staff—still weary from the demands of the pandemic—could use a boost. So, she called Milissa Kaufman, MD...

Dialectical Behavior Therapy: Your Toolbox for Managing Emotions

Dialectical behavior therapy, or DBT, is one of the most common treatment options for certain mental health conditions. Originally used to address borderline personality disorder (BPD), now DBT is also used to treat depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), bulimia, and substance addiction...

Understanding Dissociative Identity Disorder

Once referred to as multiple personality disorder, dissociative identity disorder (DID) is a serious mental health condition. DID is associated with long-term exposure to trauma, often chronic traumatic experiences during early childhood. It is often misunderstood and portrayed incorrectly in...

Joining Forces To Provide a Full Continuum of Trauma-Focused Care

McLean Hospital has a strong reputation as being one of the premier locations in the United States for trauma-related patient care and research. With exposure to traumatic events occurring worldwide, we continue to adapt to meet the needs of the communities we serve. To address this, McLean’s Hill...

Video: Effectively Managing and Treating Trauma Disorders, Including PTSD

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a complex and frequently misunderstood condition: while often associated with the horrors of war, anyone who has witnessed or experienced traumatic, life-threatening, or life-changing events can find themselves struggling with the psychological impacts of...

Understanding Gender Differences in Mental Illness

Late in her medical residency, Amanda Sedgewick, DO, was running treatment groups for women with substance use disorders. Patients would disappear from treatment for weeks at a time and Sedgewick realized they were in abusive relationships—which was keeping them away from the clinic. So, she began...