PTSD Treatment 101: What Actually Works (and What Doesn't)

Psychiatrist Dr. Isabelle Rosenthal (co-founder & medical director of Nema Health) breaks down how PTSD is diagnosed and what evidence-based trauma treatment actually looks like — including CPT, prolonged exposure, EMDR, medications, and what "complex PTSD" really means. Recorded live as part of Nema Health's clinician webinar series. What's covered: • Who develops PTSD after trauma, and why (risk factors, brain changes) • Why 86% of PTSD cases are civilians, not combat veterans — and why it's a women's health issue • DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, including what counts as a criterion A trauma • Complex PTSD vs. PTSD: what the evidence actually says • First-line treatments: cognitive processing therapy (CPT), prolonged exposure, and EMDR • Why medications are second-line, and what to know about MDMA and ketamine • Massed treatment: why daily therapy dramatically reduces dropout • Supporting patients right after trauma, and when to refer Chapters: 0:00 Meet Dr. Rosenthal & the Nema team 2:08 Agenda 3:16 How common are trauma & PTSD? 5:05 Why most people recover — and some don't 6:42 Risk factors for developing PTSD 8:51 How trauma changes the brain 11:38 Diagnosing PTSD: criterion A trauma 14:59 Re-experiencing symptoms 16:02 Avoidance & comorbid substance use 17:44 Negative cognitions, mood & arousal symptoms 20:08 Specifiers: dissociation & delayed onset 22:27 Complex PTSD vs. PTSD 24:21 The gold-standard treatments: CPT, PE, EMDR 28:56 Medications & second-line options 31:27 MDMA, ketamine & what innovation really means 32:52 Massed treatment: therapy every day 37:03 Best practices for early support 44:30 Nema Health's care model 50:23 Q&A: psychological first aid, referrals & insurance Nema Health is a PTSD clinic delivering intensive, evidence-based trauma therapy (3–5 sessions/week, typically 3–6 weeks), in-network with major insurance plans. Currently seeing patients in California, Delaware, Florida, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, and Texas — with more states coming. This video is educational and not a substitute for medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. #PTSD #TraumaTherapy #MentalHealth