PTSD & Trauma Therapy in San Antonio, TX
Trauma is not just what happened. It is how your nervous system learned to keep you safe afterward. Our San Antonio team offers evidence-based PTSD and trauma therapy, including EMDR and CBT, with medication management when it helps.
Understanding PTSD and trauma
You did not overreact. Your nervous system adapted.
PTSD is not a character weakness. It is what happens when the brain and body get flooded during an experience that felt threatening, overwhelming, or uncontrollable, and the nervous system stays in alert mode long after the event is over. It affects sleep, focus, relationships, and how safe the world feels.
Trauma is broader than PTSD. Not every trauma leads to a full diagnosis, but many people experience trauma-related symptoms: hypervigilance, avoidance, emotional numbness, intrusive memories, or the sense that something is off even when life looks fine on paper. All of it is treatable.
At South Texas Mental Health Associates in San Antonio, we treat PTSD and trauma with evidence-based therapies including EMDR and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), combined with psychiatric medication management when it helps. We work with civilians and veterans, adolescents and adults, in person and by secure telehealth.
By the numbers
PTSD in context
PTSD is treatable. Here is some published context on prevalence and evidence-based response rates.
Signs & symptoms
What PTSD and trauma can look like
Trauma symptoms cluster in four groups: intrusion (unwanted memories), avoidance, negative changes in mood or thinking, and hyperarousal. You do not need all of them for care to help.
Our approach
How we treat PTSD and trauma at STMHA
Stabilization first, then the deeper work, then integration. We match the approach to what your nervous system can actually process.
Why STMHA
A team trauma survivors trust
Trauma-informed team
Every provider on our team understands the difference between traumatized and difficult.
Veterans welcome
Combat and military-related trauma is a specialty focus. Dr. John Lusins completed a fellowship in forensic psychiatry at WVU.
Therapy and psychiatry, one team
Your therapist and psychiatric prescriber share records and coordinate care.
In-person or telehealth
See us at our San Antonio clinic or from home by secure video across Texas.
Comparing PTSD treatments
First-line PTSD treatments compared
Guideline-recommended treatments for PTSD, plus medication as an adjunct or alternative.
| Treatment | How it works | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| EMDR | Bilateral stimulation with brief memory activation. Minimal detailed retelling required. | 6-15 sessions |
| Cognitive Processing Therapy | Structured cognitive work on trauma-related beliefs. | ~12 sessions |
| Prolonged Exposure | Detailed narrative work plus real-world exposure to avoided cues. | 8-15 sessions |
| Medication (SSRIs) | Sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved for PTSD. Often used alongside therapy. | 4-8 weeks to response |
APA guidelines recommend EMDR, CPT, and PE as first-line. Medication can help alongside or when therapy is not immediately accessible.
Related services
Related care that supports trauma work
Trauma rarely shows up alone. Anxiety, depression, and substance concerns often travel with it.
The primary trauma-focused therapy at STMHA.
Learn more › Anxiety treatmentCare for the anxiety and panic that often follow trauma.
Learn more › Depression treatmentDepression care that often needs to work alongside trauma treatment.
Learn more › Medication managementPsychiatric prescribing for PTSD, depression, and anxiety symptoms.
Learn more › DBT therapySkills-based therapy for emotion regulation and stabilization.
Learn more › Individual psychotherapyOngoing talk therapy that supports the trauma work.
Learn more ›Where to find care
Our San Antonio clinic
Care is available at our San Antonio clinic on NW Military Highway, Monday through Friday, and by secure telehealth across Texas.
STMHA San Antonio
Coverage
Insurance accepted
We accept most major plans and verify your benefits before your first visit, so there are no surprises.
Good to know
PTSD and trauma treatment questions, answered
No. Many patients benefit from trauma-focused therapy without meeting full PTSD criteria. If trauma is affecting your life, care is available.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation to help stuck traumatic memories process. CPT (Cognitive Processing Therapy) works on the trauma-related beliefs that shape how you see yourself and the world. Both are strongly evidence-based. Your therapist matches the approach to your situation.
Yes. STMHA welcomes veterans and service members. Combat and military-related trauma is a focus of care, and we accept Tricare.
Trauma therapy is structured to be manageable. The stabilization phase specifically builds coping tools before deeper work begins. Discomfort is normal at times, but overwhelming distress is not, and your therapist adjusts pace accordingly.
Not always. Many patients improve with therapy alone. Medications such as SSRIs can help reduce symptoms while therapy does the deeper work. Our providers make individualized recommendations.
It varies. Single-incident trauma often responds within 8 to 15 sessions. Complex trauma and childhood trauma typically take longer. Your provider will discuss timeline after evaluation.
Yes. EMDR and CPT are both effective by secure video. We offer telehealth across Texas.
We accept most major insurance plans including Tricare, Aetna, Blue Cross Blue Shield, Cigna, UnitedHealthcare, and Medicare. We verify benefits before your first visit.
Medically reviewed
Reviewed by John Lusins III, MD
Board-certified psychiatrist and Medical Director of South Texas Mental Health Associates.
In a crisis
Get help right now
STMHA is an outpatient clinic and cannot respond to emergencies. If you or someone you know is in danger or thinking about suicide, please use these free, confidential resources, available 24/7.
- Call 911Life-threatening emergency, or someone at immediate risk of harm.
- Call or text 988Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7. Chat at 988lifeline.org/chat.
- Dial 988, then press 1Veterans Crisis Line, or text 838255.
- Dial 2-1-1Texas 2-1-1, everyday support and community resources.
You are not broken. Your nervous system adapted, and it can adapt again.
Contact South Texas Mental Health Associates to schedule PTSD or trauma therapy at our San Antonio clinic, or by telehealth from anywhere in Texas.