We understand mental illness and the difficulties it creates for those who suffer from it. At our Mental Health Treatment Center we are sensitive to your challenges. Solara will find every possible solution to enable you to live the life that you are meant to live.

Mental Health and Wellness

PTSD Treatment for Veterans

PTSD in Veterans

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) was established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) in 1980 because of the effects the Vietnam War had on veterans.

Veterans are the largest population in the United States that suffer from PTSD. Those in the military are exposed to a vast amount of trauma while in active duty due to combat in war as well as physical and sexual abuse that can lead to PTSD.

Solara provides a safe, peaceful environment for veterans to process their PTSD with a licensed trauma therapist in San Diego. We are contracted with the VA and TriWest giving us an unique opportunity to help veterans with their PTSD. Transportation, housing, and accommodations will be provided to the veteran as long as it is authorized.

About PTSD

People who suffer with PTSD tend to experience a variety of symptoms.

Avoidance symptoms include:

Avoiding situations that trigger a memory about the traumatic event
Avoiding thinking about the traumatic event or acknowledging that it happened

Arousal symptoms include:

Self-destructive behaviors
Heightened anger or irritability
Being easily frightened and startled
Insomnia
Hyper-vigilance

Cognitive and mood symptoms include:

Destructive thoughts about yourself or the world
Feelings of guilt
Loss of interest in activities you used to enjoy
Memory loss

Intrusive memory symptoms include:

Flashbacks
Nightmares
Constant thoughts about the traumatic event
Physical and emotional reactions to triggers of the event

People with PTSD may have a hard time healing from the trauma they have experienced and it may begin to affect all areas of their lives. The emotional and physical pain can become debilitating.

PTSD does not appear in every person who goes through a traumatic experience or survives a dangerous situation. There are risk factors that make certain individuals more likely to develop PTSD.

Risk Factors for PTSD include:

Surviving a dangerous or traumatic event
Seeing someone else get hurt or killed
Childhood trauma
Getting hurt
Having a history of substance abuse or mental illness
Lacking social support after the traumatic event
Adding more stress after the dangerous situation (i.e. losing a loved one, losing a job)
Feelings of powerlessness, terror, extreme fear

Veterans may be more prone to PTSD because they are typically more exposed to situations where they will experience traumatic events. Veterans are more likely to develop PTSD after active duty when they have a greater exposure to combat, have discharged their weapon during war, saw someone gravely injured or pass away in front of them, and do not have the social support needed after deployment.

Therapies Used to Treat Veterans with PTSD

Talking with a therapist is essential for veterans to process the trauma experienced while in activity duty and relieve the PTSD symptoms.

The VA recommends the trauma-focused psychotherapies Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Prolonged Exposure Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing to treat veterans with PTSD. These psychotherapies use visualization, talking, thinking, or changing beliefs to help process the traumatic experience and memory.

Different kinds of therapies can be used as treatments for PTSD:

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) – CBT is a goal-oriented therapy that helps patients accept the things they cannot change and change the things that are in their control. CBT helps the veteran replace negative thought patterns with healthy and constructive thoughts.
Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE) – PE is a form of CBT that focuses on helping people face their fears by slowly introducing the patient to traumatic events with the help of a licensed trauma therapist.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – EMDR is a therapeutic modality that helps patients reprocess their traumatic experience by using dialogue, memories and eye movements. This process helps veterans desensitize themselves from the trauma and the triggers to relive the memory of the trauma.

PTSD can be a long-term condition that can take significant time to heal from. Although people can make rapid improvements, continued treatment can be vital in resolving PTSD symptoms.

Transportation, Housing, & Accommodations for Vets

Solara Mental Health is able to provide transportation to and from its facilities in San Diego, Ca for most of the TriWest covered states.

Along with transportation, Solara can provide long-term housing at its beautiful Pacific Beach, San Diego residences that are close to the treatment center. These housing accommodations can be provided for both inpatient and outpatient treatment that may follow inpatient treatment.

Veterans may remain in housing for as many weeks or months as the VA insurance authorizes. We often find that the VA authorizes a considerable length of stay, allowing us the ability to provide quality treatment for the amount of time needed to heal and recover.

View our facilities in Pacific Beach to get a preview of what you might expect when choosing Solara Mental Health as your care provider.

Veteran PTSD Treatment in San Diego

Solara Mental Health offers help to veterans who struggle with PTSD. We provide a safe environment for the veteran to process their trauma with a therapist. We understand that the symptoms felt as a result of PTSD can be disruptive to everyday life and therefore strive to provide a peaceful environment with compassionate staff.

Solara recognizes that each veteran is unique and should be provided a customized treatment plan for their PTSD symptoms. The trauma-based therapies we provide will be catered to the veteran based on what our qualified trauma therapists decide is best for the veteran.

Solara Mental Health is VA contracted as a community care provider to best serve the veteran community and provide help with their mental health and PTSD needs.

For more information about Solara Mental Health’s PTSD treatment programs in San Diego or about other treatments offered at Solara Health, please contact us.

What Our Clients Say

Husband

Solara was truly a life-changing experience for me and for our children, because of what you did for my wife! The treatment team was phenomenally supportive and perfect for helping her with her anxiety and depression. We are all now moving forward to put our lives back together and it started with you all in Pacific Beach. Thank you for what you do.

Terri

The Solara Treatment Program was a life-changing experience for me. To be able to heal in such a beautiful, peaceful environment, with such a terrific treatment team, was so amazingly positive. I have found my true self, again. I thank you and my family thanks you for helping me become the person I was meant to be.

Alex

I have never felt better than I do now, since completing your program. The truly caring and supportive staff and the intensive program changed my life. What a neat place to stay for treatment - I love Pacific Beach! I have learned skills and behavior to move forward with my life thanks to you.

Bill

The program has given me the tools I needed to really gain stability. For the first time in years - maybe for as long as I can remember, actually, I’m learning how to cope and manage my stressors and triggers. I now believe that I can find some relief and happiness.

Michelle Family

I want to thank you and the entire staff and support system at Solara for taking such good care of my sister. On behalf of my entire family, we want you all to understand that your patience and kindness stretches further than you can see… Thank you, again and again, from the bottom of my heart.

M.P. – Father

Your program provided our daughter with the most masterful therapist we have ever encountered (and we have used many). She has had an unbelievable ability to see the long-term trajectory of our daughter’s treatment and to approach her treatment in stages that fit where my daughter’s development was. We can’t say enough positive about her.

Bradley

The therapists and counselors and really whole team were extremely beneficial to me and my understanding of my issues. The treatment plan they developed was exactly what I needed

Lauren

The Solara program is truly amazing. I’ve never had more clarity or more good energy in my entire life. The attention the physicians and the therapists gave me was outstanding. I feel like they truly understood and addressed my issues, which had consumed my life for years. Thank you all.

Lynn

Even though I’m not religious, I realized when I got sober that for the first time in my life I wanted to explore my spiritual side. I benefited hugely from the individual spiritual sessions that I had with Chris. I’m really grateful for that aspect of the whole treatment experience.

R.M. – Father

If not for Solara Mental Health, I am almost positive that our daughter would not be as advanced in her treatment, and would not have the almost miraculous confident and positive outlook that she has.

Dad

We are so grateful to you for the treatment and care you provided our daughter. She is doing unbelievably well now thanks to your program. We will gladly tell anyone we encounter that needs treatment about the wonderful work you do at Solara.

Watson Family

Solara’s program was such a positive experience for our mom (and for us)! She had become almost impossible to deal with. Your entire staff was phenomenally supportive and kind and patient with her. We feel like we’ve got our mom back, now.

Trauma, Veterans Article

Managing War Flashbacks: Tips for Coping with PTSD

War flashbacks are a distressing symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that can have a significant impact on the lives of those who experience them. It is important to note that not everyone who experiences a traumatic event will develop PTSD, as individual resilience and coping mechanisms play a role in determining the likelihood of developing the disorder.

VA Mental Health Coverage in San Diego, CA

Veterans Article

Does the VA Cover Mental Health?

Veteran mental health can be affected by the service, but VA provides veterans healthcare that can include mental health benefits.