PTSD & Trauma Treatment Center

Learn more about PTSD treatment at Piney Ridge Treatment Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas

When children and adolescents are suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the symptoms can be debilitating. These kids are struggling with unwanted feelings of distress and may even be floating between states of not knowing what is real and what is not. They may be suffering from flashbacks or recurring nightmares and might find themselves feeling scared all the time. These children might also be desperate to find a sense of control over some aspect of their lives and may end up doing so in the inappropriate manner of acting out sexually.

At Piney Ridge Treatment Center, we offer a program that is specifically tailored to meet the needs of children and adolescents who are suffering from both posttraumatic stress disorder and problematic sexual behavior. Since 1996, we have been providing successful, thorough, and comprehensive care for boys and girls ages 7-17. We are the only treatment center in the state of Arkansas that has a program specifically designed to meet the unique needs of these children and we want to help your child get the help that he or she needs and deserves.

Helping a loved one get treatment for PTSD

Having a child who is struggling with posttraumatic stress disorder can be frightening, heart-breaking, and can make you feel helpless. When these children then begin acting out with problematic sexual behaviors, you may find yourself debating how to handle it. Are they only acting out because of the trauma they suffered from? Are they trying to compensate for the parts of their lives that they don’t have control over? Or do they truly have an illness that needs treatment? More than likely, the answer to all of these questions is, yes.

Children and adolescents who are suffering from PTSD may present with the following symptoms:

• Bedwetting
• Sleep disturbances
• Loss of interest in things that he or she used to be interested in
• Exaggerated startle response
• Avoiding certain people, places, or situations
• Intense physical reactions when reminded of the trauma
• Hallucinations
• Lack of positive emotions

If your child has been experiencing any of these symptoms, along with the addition of problematic sexual behaviors, a residential treatment program can be a wonderful resource for getting your child the help that he or she needs. By receiving the proper treatment, children and adolescents struggling with posttraumatic stress disorder and sexually maladaptive behaviors can learn how to successfully manage their symptoms and alter their negative behaviors.

Why consider treatment for PTSD at Piney Ridge Treatment Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas

Watching your child struggle through the symptoms of PTSD while acting out in dangerous sexual behaviors may be causing you to feel fearful of what his or her future holds. You might be hoping that it is something that will pass with time or that he or she will grow out of it. Unfortunately, if left untreated, the effects that PTSD and problematic sexual behaviors can have on your child can be detrimental to his or her well-being.

Residential treatment programs have proven to be incredibly successful in helping children and adolescents overcome their negative, problematic behaviors while also helping to heal the symptoms that have presented themselves as a result of PTSD. By entering a residential treatment program, children are walking into a safe environment where they will be provided with constant supervision 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This environment allows them to leave their daily routines behind and focus solely on healing.

Piney Ridge Treatment Center philosophy and benefits

At Piney Ridge Treatment Center, we believe that every child and family who comes to us for help is unique and deserves to have a treatment plan personalized to meet those unique needs. The staff at Piney Ridge recognizes that sexual thoughts and behaviors are meant to be private aspects of one’s life. We understand that addressing problematic sexual behaviors must be done in a therapeutic manner that is meant solely for the purpose of teaching our patients to reshape their future behaviors. We also understand that the added symptoms of anxiety can elicit the need for additional methods of treatment that will help get that aspect of our patients’ lives under control as well. Our program is designed to provide patients with the ability to understand how to accept responsibility for their past behaviors so that they can make the changes that they need to in order to get well.

Types of PTSD treatment offered at Piney Ridge Treatment Center in Fayetteville, Arkansas

At Piney Ridge, we have designed our treatment program by using an evidence-based model of care that is centered on trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. We use a combination of different therapeutic methods in order to provide our patients with the most holistic treatment possible as they begin to heal. These treatment methods include:

Medication management: One way in which the symptoms that your child is suffering from can be treated is through psychotropic medication. Our staff includes three psychiatrists and one internist who will meet with your child at least once every 28 days. All therapeutic side effects will be closely monitored and additional appointments will occur as needed.

Individual therapy: Individual therapy sessions provide your child with an opportunity to meet on a one-to-one basis with his or her therapist. These sessions occur at a minimum of once per week where your child will work on developing coping skills and problem-solving skills, while also learning ways to control his or her impulsivity and confront the traumatic events that are causing him or her pain.

Group therapy: Group therapy sessions are used as a time for patients to work together to enhance positive social interactions and reinforce the coping skills they are learning. These sessions are held on a daily basis and include goal groups that are held in the morning and rehab groups that are held each evening. Group sessions cover topics such as family issues, anger management, sexual safety, and empathy skills.

Family therapy: Family involvement is crucial in order for the treatment of children and adolescents to be successful. Family therapy sessions are held on a weekly or biweekly basis depending on the needs of each patient. These sessions are designed to help parents learn how to implement rules about sexual behavior and how to use various strategies in order to reduce other problematic behaviors. In addition to family sessions, visitation time is available on Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays.

School: You do not have to worry about your child falling behind in school because every patient in our residential program attends school Monday through Friday. We have a wonderful staff of teachers who all hold certifications in special education. Every child has his or her own individualized education plan and the credits that are earned while in our program are transferable to his or her home public school. College prep and tutoring are available to all patients, and high school students have the ability to graduate while still remaining in treatment.

Experiential program: We strive to offer our patients the most holistic treatment possible by providing a thorough experiential program in addition to the traditional forms of treatment. This program includes recreational therapy, spiritual therapy, and expressive therapies. We also have occupational therapists and speech therapists on staff to work with patients when necessary.

Continuing care and levels of treatment for PTSD

At Piney Ridge, we know that the discharge process can be extremely intimidating for our patients and their families. We understand that in order for children and adolescents to leave the safety of treatment with the comfort and knowledge that they can return to their lives at home, continuing care is often necessary. We will make referrals for this continuing care appropriately based on each patient’s treatment plan. Because case management occurs continuously throughout treatment, we are able to introduce our patients to the discharge process thoroughly and intensively prior to the end of programming so that the transition out of treatment can go as smoothly as possible. For teenage patients, we can help arrange transfers to the military, to college, or to independent living situations, based on their needs.

We don’t want you and your child to continue suffering. At Piney Ridge Treatment Center, we will do everything in our power to ensure that all of your needs are met and that your child leaves treatment with the confidence that he or she needs in order to successfully go on to lead a happy and fulfilling life.