Licensed ProvidersTelepsychiatry Available Serving Texas, Kansas & Minnesota

Pleasant Place Psychiatry

Conditions We Treat

Medication Management & Psychiatric Care for PTSD & Trauma-Related Stress

Trauma-informed psychiatric care and personalized medication management for adults living with post-traumatic stress disorder after violence, accidents, combat, assault, or birth trauma. About half of U.S. adults experience at least one traumatic event in their lifetime, but most do not develop PTSD, and for the 3.6% who do in any given year, treatment works. We focus on evidence-based medication management for intrusive memories, avoidance, negative mood, hypervigilance, and disrupted sleep, and we coordinate closely with your trauma-focused therapist.

Trauma-informed psychiatric care environment for PTSD treatment
Telehealth Available
Across TX, KS & MN
Three-step treatment pathway for PTSD and trauma-related stress recovery

Your Path Forward

3 Steps to Begin PTSD Care

1

Understand

We take time to understand what you've experienced, how trauma is showing up for you, including intrusive memories or nightmares, avoidance, negative thoughts about yourself and the world, and being on high alert, and how it affects your sleep, relationships, work, and sense of safety. We look at the whole picture, including co-occurring depression, anxiety, and substance use. There is no timeline on trauma; we meet you where you are.

2

Plan

We develop an individualized treatment plan based on your symptoms, preferences, and health history. Your plan may include evidence-based medication management, sleep-focused strategies, psychoeducation about why your nervous system is responding the way it is, and care coordination with your trauma-focused therapist if you have one.

3

Adjust

We monitor your progress through careful titration and regular follow-up, discuss your real-life experience with intrusive symptoms, sleep, and anxiety between visits, and make adjustments when needed, always pacing changes so you never feel rushed or destabilized.

Ready to feel safe in your own body again? Our providers are here to guide you through every step, from assessment to ongoing support.

Book an Appointment

Why Choose Us

Trauma-Informed Care, Personalized to You

Trauma-Informed Providers

Our providers understand that trauma affects the whole nervous system, not just 'anxiety.' We practice trauma-informed psychiatry, prioritizing safety, choice, and pacing so that a medication visit never feels like another thing to endure.

Specialized in PTSD & trauma-related stress

Care Coordination with Your Therapist

The strongest outcomes come from medication and trauma-focused therapy, such as cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure (PE), or EMDR, working together. We coordinate directly with your therapist to align your care, and we support you in connecting with one if you haven't started yet.

CPT/PE/EMDR coordination

Safety-First Medication Decisions

We follow current clinical guidance: evidence-based antidepressants as the foundation, targeted approaches for nightmares, and the careful avoidance of medications (like benzodiazepines) that guidelines recommend against for PTSD because they can worsen the condition long-term.

Evidence-based, conservative prescribing

Flexible Access to Care

Attend appointments virtually from anywhere in Texas, Kansas, or Minnesota. In-person appointments are also available for patients who prefer or require an office visit.

Telehealth across 3 states

Our Approach

How We Treat PTSD & Trauma-Related Stress

Collaborative Medication Management

We conduct a comprehensive evaluation and review how trauma is affecting your nervous system, sleep, and daily life.

When medication is appropriate, we focus on evidence-based options with the strongest support in current clinical guidelines: selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) such as sertraline and paroxetine (the two FDA-approved medications for PTSD), and the serotonin-norepinephrine reuptake inhibitor (SNRI) venlafaxine. We practice careful medication titration, starting low and adjusting based on your real-life response.

For distressing nightmares, we discuss targeted options with your provider, including prazosin, based on your specific presentation and the current evidence. We do not prescribe benzodiazepines for PTSD, consistent with clinical guidance that they offer no lasting benefit and can worsen outcomes over time.

Trauma-informed psychiatric care for PTSD focusing on nervous system regulation

Care Coordination with Trauma-Focused Therapy

Trauma-focused psychotherapy, including CPT, PE, and EMDR, is the gold-standard treatment for PTSD. We actively coordinate with your therapist to keep medication and therapy aligned, and we can help you connect with a qualified trauma-focused therapist if you don't have one. Medication is not a substitute for therapy; the two work best together.

Psychoeducation

We explain why your brain and body respond the way they do after trauma: the alarm system stuck on 'on,' the difference between normal trauma responses and PTSD, and why intrusive memories and avoidance happen. Understanding the 'why' is itself a grounding act, and we make it accessible and jargon-free.

Sleep & Nervous System Support

Trauma disrupts sleep and keeps the nervous system wired. We discuss realistic sleep strategies, grounding techniques, breathing tools, and daily rhythms that help your nervous system down-regulate, complementing your medication plan and your therapy work between sessions.

Recognizing the Signs

PTSD is not just a bad memory or 'still being bothered by it.' It involves four groups of symptoms that persist for more than a month after a traumatic event and interfere with daily life. A comprehensive 60-minute psychiatric evaluation can clarify what you're experiencing.

Intrusion & Re-experiencing Symptoms

  • Unwanted memories

    Distressing, intrusive recollections of the event that pop up without warning.

  • Nightmares

    Trauma-related dreams that disrupt sleep and leave you afraid to close your eyes.

  • Flashbacks

    Dissociative moments where you feel or act as if the event is happening again.

  • Strong reactions to reminders

    Intense emotional or physical distress, such as racing heart, shaking, and sweating, when exposed to trauma cues.

Avoidance Symptoms

  • Avoiding thoughts and feelings

    Trying not to think about the event or shutting down emotions related to it.

  • Avoiding people, places, and situations

    Steering clear of anything that reminds you of the trauma, even at real cost to your life.

Negative Thoughts & Mood Symptoms

  • Negative beliefs

    Persistent thoughts like 'I'm broken,' 'No one can be trusted,' or 'The world is completely dangerous.'

  • Blame

    Exaggerated blame of yourself or others for what happened.

  • Emotional numbness

    Feeling cut off, detached, or unable to experience positive emotions.

  • Loss of interest

    Reduced participation in activities you once cared about.

Understanding the Spectrum

Trauma Response vs. PTSD vs. Acute Stress vs. Complex Trauma

Feeling shaken after a traumatic event is normal, even good. It's your nervous system doing its job. PTSD is when that response gets stuck and starts running your life.

Normal Trauma Response

Distress, insomnia, and hypervigilance right after a traumatic event. Distressing but typically settles as the nervous system recalibrates. Does not require a diagnosis.

Acute Stress Disorder

Symptoms that closely resemble PTSD but resolve or change within one month of the event.

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Intrusion, avoidance, negative thoughts and mood, and arousal symptoms persisting beyond a month and causing significant distress or functional impairment. Highly treatable with therapy and medication management.

Complex Trauma / cPTSD-Style Symptoms

Repeated or prolonged trauma (abuse, captivity, prolonged violence) can add layers like difficulty trusting, emotional dysregulation, and a fractured sense of self. We take these presentations seriously and tailor care accordingly.

Our Commitment

Treatment Goals We Work Toward Together

Reduced frequency and intensity of intrusive memories, nightmares, and flashbacks

More restful sleep and a nervous system that can down-regulate

Less avoidance and more room to re-engage with work, relationships, and life

A coordinated care plan, with medication and therapy working together, not in conflict

Person finding safety and rebuilding confidence after PTSD treatment

Find Care Near You

Local Psychiatric Care Across Our Core Regions

Our board-certified providers offer trauma-informed PTSD medication management across our three core service regions. Select your state below to view local clinic availability, state-specific telehealth regulations, and regional insurance networks. We serve veterans, first responders, survivors of violence and accidents, and parents navigating birth trauma.

Our Clinical Director

Who's Guiding Your Mental Health Journey

Dr. Ediomi Oduwole, DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C, Clinical DirectorBoard-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
DNP, PMHNP-BC, PMH-C Clinical Director
Women's Mental Healthcare Expert Accessible & Collaborative Care

Dr. Ediomi Oduwole is a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner and Perinatal Mental Health Certified clinician.

As Clinical Director of Pleasant Place Psychiatry, she provides thoughtful, evidence-based psychiatric care for adults experiencing anxiety, depression, ADHD, and women's mental health concerns, including challenges during pregnancy and the postpartum period.

She takes time to listen, considers the whole person rather than symptoms alone, and ensures patients understand their diagnosis and treatment options.

Care may include psychiatric evaluation, medication management, psychoeducation, and practical lifestyle support tailored to each patient's needs and goals.

Board-Certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner
Specialized Expertise in anxiety, depression, ADHD, OCD & PTSD

Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Feeling shaken, on edge, or unable to sleep right after a traumatic event is a normal nervous system response and usually settles on its own. PTSD is when four groups of symptoms, including intrusion (memories and nightmares), avoidance, negative thoughts and mood, and arousal (hypervigilance, startle), persist for more than a month and meaningfully interfere with your life. A comprehensive assessment can clarify what you're experiencing.
Distressing nightmares are one of the most disruptive PTSD symptoms, and we treat them seriously. After a careful review of your presentation and health history, we discuss targeted options with your provider, including prazosin, and pair them with sleep-strategies and coordination with trauma-focused therapy. Current guidelines support the cautious use of prazosin specifically for PTSD-associated nightmares.
Ideally, yes, and they work best together. Trauma-focused therapy (CPT, PE, EMDR) is the gold-standard treatment for PTSD, and medication can help settle the nervous system enough to make therapy more effective. We focus on medication management and coordinate directly with your therapist, and we will support you in connecting with one if you haven't started yet.
There is no single timeline, but improvement is realistic and common. Medications like the recommended SSRIs and SNRIs typically take several weeks to build full effect and are monitored closely. Therapy and medication together often produce meaningful change within a few months, with ongoing support as symptoms settle. Recovery is not linear, and we are in it with you for the long haul.
No. Current clinical guidelines (including the 2023 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline) recommend against benzodiazepines for PTSD because they can provide short-term numbing but worsen long-term outcomes, including dependence, withdrawal, and poorer response to trauma-focused therapy. We focus on evidence-based treatments that build lasting stability rather than quick fixes.
Yes. Video-based psychiatric care is recognized as an effective way to deliver mental health treatment, and the safety of receiving care from your own environment can actually be an advantage in trauma care. We use a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform in TX, KS, and MN, and we will help you find a setup where you feel comfortable and safe.

Ready to Take the First Step?

You don't have to keep living on guard. PTSD is not a weakness, and it is not a life sentence. With the right combination of trauma-informed care, medication support, and therapy, your nervous system can learn to feel safe again. Schedule a consultation and start that journey today.