Trauma can leave lasting marks on the mind and body, affecting how people feel, think, and live each day. Whether it’s from a past accident, loss, or other painful experience, trauma can make daily life challenging. It impacts relationships, work, and overall well-being.
Thankfully, treatment for trauma-based conditions offers a pathway to healing, helping you process traumatic experiences and develop tools to move forward in a positive direction.
Summit at Harmony Oaks in Chattanooga, TN, specializes in comprehensive trauma and (post-traumatic stress disorder) PTSD treatment plans.
By offering professional, compassionate support, we provide the chance to find relief and build resilience through high-quality care designed for lasting recovery.
About Trauma and How it Affects Mental Health
Trauma is a response to distressing or frightening events that deeply affect an individual’s mental health. When someone experiences trauma, it can alter how they feel, think, and act.
Trauma impacts people in different ways, leading to emotional challenges, anxiety, and even PTSD. At Summit at Harmony Oaks, trauma-focused care helps people address these effects of trauma, so they can heal and build a fulfilling life.


What Causes Trauma?
Trauma can result from a variety of events or experiences. These events may involve sudden, intense situations or prolonged hardships, each capable of deeply affecting mental and emotional health.
Here are some common causes of trauma:
- Accidents or unexpected events: Car crashes, severe falls, and other accidents can be sudden, life-altering experiences that leave lasting impacts.
- Violence or domestic abuse: Physical, emotional, or psychological abuse, especially when repeated, can be profoundly traumatic, affecting your sense of safety and self-worth.
- Natural disasters: Earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires disrupt lives and create intense fear, causing long-term emotional distress.
- Sexual assault or other forms of abuse: Sexual violence or harassment can leave you feeling violated and unsafe, with effects that can last long after the event.
- Loss of a loved one: Losing someone through death, divorce, or separation can create profound emotional pain and feelings of abandonment.
- Witnessing life-threatening events: Being present at traumatic events — such as violent attacks or severe accidents — can create deep psychological scars, even if you weren’t directly harmed.
These events are called traumatic because they overwhelm your ability to cope. You may experience flashbacks or feel numb and detached.
While each person’s response to trauma is different, these overwhelming experiences leave lasting marks on your mental and emotional well-being.
Who Is at Risk of Trauma?
Trauma can affect anyone, but certain people are at higher risk due to specific factors. These factors can make trauma more likely or increase the intensity of someone’s reaction.
Key groups at greater risk include:
- People with a history of mental health disorders: Conditions like anxiety or depression may make you more sensitive to trauma. Existing mental health challenges can make distressing events feel even more overwhelming.
- People who have already experienced trauma: Past traumatic events can make you more vulnerable. Facing similar situations again can bring stronger emotional responses and make recovery harder.
- Children and adolescents: Young people are especially vulnerable to trauma, especially if it happens during key stages of development. Early trauma can affect emotional growth and lead to lasting mental health issues.
- Veterans and military personnel: Combat, life-threatening missions, and high-stress situations put service members at high risk for trauma, including PTSD.
- First responders, healthcare workers, and high-stress role professionals: Police officers, firefighters, paramedics, healthcare staff, social workers, and others in high-stress roles often face prolonged exposure to emergencies and intense situations. This increases the risk for stress-related issues and long-term mental health challenges.
Understanding these risk factors helps explain why some people may struggle more with trauma. It also points to the importance of supporting those in high-risk groups.
What Are the Symptoms of Trauma?
Trauma affects each person differently, and the symptoms can vary. Understanding these symptoms can help you and your loved ones recognize when trauma therapy may be beneficial.
Here are some of the most common signs of trauma:
- Emotional symptoms: Trauma may lead to intense emotions like anxiety, depression, anger, and mood swings. Many people feel constantly on edge, as though something bad might happen at any moment.
- Physical symptoms: Physical effects such as headaches, fatigue, muscle tension, and even digestive issues are common in those dealing with trauma. These are the body’s responses to prolonged stress.
- Flashbacks: For some, trauma leads to flashbacks, where you relive distressing memories or experiences as if they’re happening again. Flashbacks can be triggered by something specific or arise unexpectedly, creating intense feelings of fear or panic.
- Avoidance behaviors: Trauma may lead you to actively avoid people, places, or things that remind you of the experience. This might mean avoiding social events, specific locations, or even certain conversations.
- Sleep disturbances: Sleep is often disrupted with insomnia or nightmares. Disturbing dreams can make it hard to rest, which in turn can worsen emotional symptoms and fatigue.
- Feeling detached: Trauma can create a sense of numbness or disconnection from others. You may feel “distant” or as if you’re watching life from the outside, which can make it challenging to connect with loved ones.
Recognizing these symptoms is essential for seeking timely help. Early intervention with trauma therapy can provide coping strategies, reduce symptoms, and support long-term healing.
Types of Trauma Treated at Harmony Oaks
Summit at Harmony Oaks provides care for various types of trauma, including:
- Acute trauma: This type of trauma often results from a single, distressing event, such as an accident or assault, causing intense emotional reactions.
- Chronic trauma: Long-term exposure to distress, such as ongoing abuse or domestic violence, can lead to chronic trauma.
- Complex trauma: Complex trauma arises from multiple, interconnected traumatic events, often experienced during childhood, such as abuse or neglect.
- Secondary trauma: Those who support trauma survivors, like first responders or healthcare providers, may experience secondary trauma, feeling impacted by others’ distress.
- Other types: Summit at Harmony Oaks also treats trauma from grief, substance abuse, and other difficult life events, with personalized care plans that foster recovery and emotional healing.
We provide targeted therapies to help people process sudden, overwhelming experiences or address the lasting effects of repeated exposure to stressors. We offer specialized support to help you rebuild emotional stability and coping strategies.
Most Insurance Accepted
As a member of the Harmony Health Group family of treatment programs, we are able to work with many private insurance plans.
Verify InsuranceSide Effects & Complications of Trauma
Untreated trauma can lead to various side effects and complications, including:
- Depression and anxiety disorders
- Substance use or addictions as coping mechanisms
- Physical health problems, such as high blood pressure and heart disease
- Negative thoughts and difficulty trusting others
- Struggles with daily life, affecting well-being and relationships
Trauma can also have physical effects and lead to chronic pain issues. Managing chronic pain can significantly impact daily life and limit your ability to function. This pain can also worsen mental health, creating a challenging cycle that can feel hard to break.
Though these challenges can make it difficult to find peace and stability, with professional support recovery is possible.
Trauma Treatment in Chattanooga, TN

Summit at Harmony Oaks provides trauma-informed care and therapies, including psychotherapy sessions that offer a safe, guided space to process your experiences. Our evidence-based and alternative therapies support you in overcoming trauma and moving forward.
With many mental health services and a dedicated team of skilled clinicians, our team delivers compassionate, effective care to support your journey to recovery.
Inpatient treatment provides a structured environment when you need intense support. Here, you’ll receive 24/7 care from healthcare providers and participate in therapies tailored to you. This option is best for those experiencing severe trauma symptoms or co-occurring mental health issues.
Outpatient programs provide flexible care, allowing you to receive treatment while managing daily responsibilities. Sessions focus on coping strategies, trauma recovery, and enhancing mental health.
While trauma treatment can be intensive, short-term and outpatient therapy options may also be effective in addressing specific needs.
Sometimes, trauma leads to substance abuse as a way to cope. Summit’s dual diagnosis program treats both trauma and substance abuse, helping you understand and address your triggers.
Our therapists work with you to identify specific stressors related to your trauma and other issues, and then develop strategies to manage them.
Therapies for Trauma at Summit at Harmony Oaks
Summit at Harmony Oaks provides a range of therapies to help you process and recover from trauma.
Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based therapy that helps you recognize and change negative thought patterns. Through CBT, you can learn to identify harmful beliefs, understand how these thoughts affect your feelings, and develop healthier thinking patterns.
Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is a specialized form of CBT that focuses on treating PTSD and related conditions. CPT helps you understand how trauma has changed your view of yourself, others, and the world.
Group therapy provides a support network for you and others facing similar challenges. Programs based on the 12-step model help you work through your trauma in a supportive setting.
Support group therapy sessions at Summit at Harmony Oaks are guided by compassionate, experienced mental health professionals.
Family therapy involves family members in the healing process, addressing how trauma affects relationships. Individual therapy provides a one-on-one setting for personal exploration, with a mental health professional guiding you through recovery.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective therapy for trauma recovery. EMDR helps you process traumatic memories and reduce their emotional impact. Trauma recovery therapy often combines EMDR with other methods, like CBT, to support lasting healing.
Summit at Harmony Oaks also offers alternative therapies to help you reduce stress, encourage mindfulness, and allow you to express your feelings in new, creative ways.
These holistic therapies offer a balanced approach to recovery, enhancing well-being and self-discovery:
- Adventure therapy: Outdoor activities like hiking foster confidence and resilience, encouraging you to face fears and develop new coping skills.
- Yoga therapy: Yoga promotes mindfulness and helps you reconnect with your body, reducing stress and improving emotional control.
- Music therapy: Music provides a creative outlet for expressing emotions, easing anxiety, and supporting emotional healing.
Start Trauma Recovery at Summit at Harmony Oaks
Contact UsBeginning trauma recovery can be challenging, but Summit at Harmony Oaks offers compassionate support. With many treatment options, therapies, and professional guidance, we provide effective strategies to cope and heal from trauma.
Contact us today to begin your journey to healing.
Trauma Treatment Program FAQs
Treatments for trauma work differently for each person. CBT and EMDR are highly effective for trauma recovery.
EMDR is especially beneficial for those dealing with PTSD and traumatic memories. Therapies like family therapy, group therapy, and alternative therapies such as yoga and music help patients address trauma holistically.
If trauma symptoms severely disrupt your daily life or lead to substance abuse, inpatient treatment may be necessary. Inpatient programs provide round-the-clock care and a structured setting when facing intense symptoms of PTSD or trauma.
Trauma recovery is a process. Many manage trauma effectively and feel “cured” when living a full life without overwhelming symptoms. Recovery may require ongoing support and using coping strategies to stay healthy.
Sources
- Psychology Today. “The Connections Between Emotional Stress, Trauma and Physical Pain”. Retrieved from https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/somatic-psychology/201004/the-connections-between-emotional-stress-trauma-and-physical-pain. Accessed on November 1, 2024.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. “Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD”. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/cognitive_processing.asp. Accessed on November 1, 2024.
- U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. PTSD: National Center for PTSD. “Talk Therapy”. Retrieved from https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/talk_therapy.asp. Accessed on November 1, 2024.