PTSD Treatment for Hartford, CT Residents

Trauma Doesn't Just Come From Combat

Hartford residents carry things that don't always get named as trauma — neighborhood violence, medical emergencies, domestic situations, sudden loss, years of chronic stress that pile up until the body can't hold it anymore. And a lot of people walking around with PTSD don't recognize it as that. They think they're just anxious, or jumpy, or "not themselves" since something happened. But PTSD is a specific condition — with specific, treatable symptoms — and it responds well when someone actually knows what they're looking at. Sindhia Shyras, APRN, is a board-certified Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner with nine years of experience providing trauma-informed psychiatric care. She sees Hartford patients via telehealth across all of Connecticut and in person at our New Britain office.

What PTSD Actually Looks Like

Most people picture flashbacks. But PTSD is a lot broader than that. It's waking up at 3 a.m. and not being able to explain why. It's driving past a certain block and feeling your chest tighten for no reason you can name. It's being irritable with your family, avoiding things you used to do without thinking, feeling detached from your own life. First responders in Hartford see this. Parents do. Survivors of accidents and assaults and losses do. PTSD doesn't care how tough you are — it's a neurological response to overwhelming experience, not a character flaw.

How We Approach Treatment

Your first appointment is a thorough psychiatric evaluation — but it's trauma-informed, which means you're not going to be asked to relive everything in session one. Sindhia wants to understand your current symptoms and what your life looks like now. Treatment typically involves medication — SSRIs like sertraline and paroxetine are FDA-approved for PTSD and are often a solid first step — plus supportive therapy alongside. For nightmares and sleep disruption specifically, there are additional medication options. She accepts Aetna, Cigna, Husky Health, Medicaid, United Healthcare, Anthem, ConnectiCare, and self-pay.

Frequently Asked Questions