Complex trauma + PTSD
More than one symptom.
A fuller assessment.
Psychiatric care that considers the effects of trauma alongside the rest of your health.
You may be managing work and family while sleep, concentration, or feeling constantly on guard takes a quiet toll.
I work with people whose histories include repeated adversity, difficult relationships, traumatic events, or ongoing exposure through their profession. We start with what is happening now and what you want help changing.
As a psychiatric nurse practitioner, I assess symptoms, develop a diagnostic understanding, prescribe when appropriate, and help connect medication, psychotherapy, and follow-up into one plan.
Request AppointmentUnderstand the overlap.
Trauma-related concerns may involve unwanted memories, avoidance, disrupted sleep, irritability, difficulty trusting, or feeling disconnected. Repeated or prolonged experiences can also affect emotional regulation, relationships, and the way you see yourself.
Those experiences deserve careful assessment. I look at their timing, impact, and relationship to mood, anxiety, attention, substance use, physical health, and previous treatment. A trauma history alone determines neither a diagnosis nor a medication choice.
Give medication a clear purpose.
When medication is appropriate, we identify the symptoms we are targeting, review previous responses and side effects, and discuss reasonable alternatives. Follow-up considers whether you are sleeping, functioning, and feeling differently in daily life.
The plan may include prescribing, adjustment of an existing regimen, psychotherapy, or coordination with another treating clinician. Medication choices follow the assessment and your preferences.
Make room for trauma-focused treatment.
Trauma-focused psychotherapy is an evidence-supported treatment for PTSD. We can discuss how therapy, including EMDR when suitable, fits the plan. Preparation, your questions, and the level of support you need are part of that conversation.
If you already have a therapist, we can consider psychiatric assessment and medication management alongside that relationship, with appropriate permission to coordinate.
Learn about EMDRConsider the life around the symptoms.
For first responders, veterans, dispatchers, correctional personnel, and other trauma-exposed professionals, shift work and repeated exposure may shape the clinical picture. I want to understand the demands you return to after an appointment.
For children and adolescents, assessment also considers development, caregivers, school, consent, and confidentiality. Age eligibility and the appropriate level of care are confirmed before treatment.
Bring the questions
you have.
Do I have to explain every event at the first visit?
We begin with the information needed to understand your current concerns and safety. You can tell me when a question feels difficult, ask why it is relevant, or request a pause. We discuss how much detail is useful for the assessment.
Is complex trauma the same as a diagnosis?
Complex trauma describes a history and pattern of exposure; a diagnosis requires assessment. PTSD and other conditions can overlap with trauma-related experiences. I explain the working formulation, the questions that remain, and how that affects treatment.
Can I start with medication care while keeping my therapist?
Yes, when the arrangement is clinically appropriate. We review your existing treatment, clarify each clinician’s role, and discuss coordination with your permission.
Can we meet by telehealth?
Psychiatric assessment and follow-up may take place by video for patients in Washington, Oregon, Alaska, Idaho, and Utah. The format depends on your needs and clinical suitability.
Start with what is happening now.
We can build a clearer picture together.
Request Appointment