What we treat
Trauma and PTSD
Our therapists use evidence-based approaches like trauma-focused CBT to support women living with the lasting effects of trauma, including birth trauma and difficult experiences from earlier in life. Ask a question to learn how our virtual care can help.
How are trauma-related conditions diagnosed?
Trauma-related conditions such as PTSD are identified through a careful clinical assessment with a licensed professional. You'll talk through what you experienced, how it's affecting you now, and how long the symptoms have lasted. Standardized questionnaires may help clarify whether you're experiencing PTSD or another trauma-related condition, and what kind of support would fit best.
How does Femme Health support trauma?
Care starts with a personal intake at a pace you set. You never have to share more than you're ready to, and your therapist builds the plan around what feels safe for you.
In clinician-led virtual groups, you connect with women who understand how trauma can affect trust, relationships and daily life. Being believed by others who get it can ease the isolation trauma often brings.
You're also paired with a primary therapist for individual sessions, and psychiatric medication management is available when clinically appropriate. Your care advocate helps with scheduling, costs and next steps.
Therapy options
Approaches that can help
DBT skills
DBT teaches distress tolerance and emotion regulation skills for moments when painful memories or reactions surface.
These tools can help you ride out intense feelings more safely and feel steadier day to day.
Learn moreTrauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy
This approach helps you see how trauma shapes the way you view yourself, other people and the world.
You'll gently work with beliefs like self-blame or feeling constantly unsafe, and build skills that make daily life feel steadier.
Learn moreSomatic and mindfulness-based approaches
Trauma often lives in the body as tension, hypervigilance or numbness, not only in memories.
Grounding and mindfulness practices help you notice those body signals and return to a sense of safety in the present moment.
Learn moreCommon questions about trauma and ptsd
What are the main signs of trauma?+
Signs can include:
- Flashbacks or nightmares that bring the experience back
- Feeling disconnected from yourself or your body
- Avoiding places, people or reminders of what happened
- Relationship difficulties, social withdrawal or isolation
- Being on high alert and easily startled
- Mood swings, irritability or anger outbursts
- Trouble focusing or sleeping
- Unexplained aches and pain
Not everyone experiences every symptom, and how strong they feel can vary. If you're having thoughts of harming yourself, call or text 988 or call 911 right away.
What are the main types of trauma?+
Trauma can come in many forms, including:
- Physical: bodily harm from accidents, falls, assaults or medical procedures
- Emotional: the psychological impact of distressing events or experiences
- Sexual: assault, abuse or harassment
- Childhood: adverse experiences during a person's formative years
- Birth: traumatic experiences during pregnancy, labor or delivery
- Complex: exposure to multiple traumatic events, often over a long period
- Acute: a single severe event such as a car accident or act of violence
- Chronic: prolonged exposure to harmful or distressing situations
- Community or collective: large-scale events that affect entire groups
What are the four trauma responses?+
When faced with threat or overwhelm, people often respond in one of four ways:
- Fight: confronting or resisting the threat head-on
- Flight: escaping or avoiding the situation
- Freeze (or flop): going numb or unable to react
- Fawn: appeasing or pleasing others to avoid conflict or harm
These are automatic survival responses, not character flaws. Many women notice they shift from one to another depending on the situation.
Can birth be traumatic?+
Yes. A complicated delivery, emergency interventions, loss, or feeling unsafe or unheard during care can leave a lasting impact. Birth trauma is a real and common experience, and support can help you process it.
What causes trauma?+
Trauma happens when an experience overwhelms your ability to cope and process it. It can involve a threat to your safety or life, abuse or violence, an accident, a natural disaster, the loss of a loved one, or adverse childhood experiences such as neglect. How strongly it affects you depends on many factors, including support systems and past experiences, and it's never a sign of weakness.
Ready to take the first step?
Get startedThis page is general information, not medical advice. In crisis? Call or text 988, or call 911.