June marks PTSD Awareness Month, an important time to provide education and resources to those who may be suffering, whether they realize it or not. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) affects a significant portion of the population. In fact, six percent of all Americans will suffer from PTSD in their lifetimes. Kelly Price, the Founder of The Reset Medical and Wellness Center, is at the forefront of raising awareness and providing innovative treatments for PTSD. BlackDoctor.org spoke with her to gain insight into the myths surrounding PTSD and what you should know to find relief.
Debunking Myths About PTSD
Many misconceptions about PTSD contribute to its stigma and hinder people from seeking help.
1. You have to be a veteran, police officer, or first responder to truly struggle with PTSD.
Reality: PTSD can affect anyone who has experienced trauma, not just those in high-risk professions.
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“For years, we’ve been told that PTSD is something that happens to people who were in a war or in the military. That’s been our frame of reference. But in reality, a good portion of America probably suffered from some form of PTSD during COVID, because it was extremely traumatic for everybody. Many of us experienced losses or had family members pass away suddenly,” Price says. “Anything that adds up over time can cause symptoms of PTSD because even small traumas and stressors can accumulate. Sometimes it’s hard to know when something will break you, but all those experiences can add up and cause trauma.”
2. Men are more likely to suffer from PTSD.
Reality: Women are twice as likely to suffer from PTSD as men.
“Women are more likely to suffer from PTSD than men, but it might not be recognized as such,” Price adds. “Women can develop depression or anxiety due to trauma, physical or mental abuse from a partner, or bullying in school. Lots of different things can contribute to PTSD. Additionally, our hormonal balance is completely different, and even menopause can sometimes have symptoms similar to PTSD, such as hypervigilance, irritability, and temperature regulation issues. A lot of those symptoms are similar to PTSD.”
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3. PTSD never goes away – there is no cure.
Reality: It is indeed treatable because it is essentially an injury to the sympathetic nervous system. In fact, many people can manage their symptoms effectively with the right interventions.
4. PTSD is one size fits all – you have it, or you don’t.
Reality: PTSD symptoms and their severity can vary widely among individuals.
The Reset Center’s Approach to PTSD Treatment
At The Reset Center, Price empowers those suffering from PTSD, anxiety, and stress to reclaim their lives. The Center’s mission is to destigmatize trauma, encouraging clients to seek treatment to live happier, stress-free lives. The Reset Center offers several solutions, most notably Neuro-Sympathetic Reset (NSR), for those suffering from PTSD and related conditions.
What is NSR?
Neuro Sympathetic Reset (NSR) is a 20-minute outpatient procedure that effectively resets the sympathetic nervous system to its unstuck, pre-stress, or pre-trauma state. FDA-approved for pain relief, this procedure is now used off-label to treat PTSD, anxiety, depression, insomnia, hormonal imbalance, sexual dysfunction, impulsivity, and more by resetting the “fight, flight, or freeze” response to its pre-trauma baseline.
“Resetting the sympathetic nerve and allowing the nerve endings to heal allows you to process emotions in a healthier way. It helps you get into therapy and work through other common issues such as anxiety, depression, and PTSD. Even brain fog, lack of clarity, or insomnia can be helped by resetting your sympathetic nerve,” Price adds.
Simply put, Price describes it as calling IT for a computer that isn’t working properly. “The first thing they would say is to restart the computer. Basically, we’re doing the same thing by restarting the sympathetic nervous system,” she shares.
“By resetting the sympathetic nerve and allowing those nerve endings to heal, it allows you to process information better. When your brain is constantly on alert, an MRI will show it lighting up red even at rest. By calming that down, it allows me to process memories properly, so when they reach the frontal cortex, they can be compartmentalized. For example, my son is a fireman, and driving past a site where he had a traumatic event can cause a PTSD reaction. If you’ve had an accident and pass that site, it can trigger a reaction for the rest of the day, causing irritability or improper memory processing,” Price notes. Resetting your sympathetic nerve allows you to process it and say, ‘OK, that was then, this is now.’ It doesn’t trigger an event of depression or anxiety.”
Addressing Secondary PTSD
Secondary PTSD, which affects those who live with individuals suffering from PTSD, is also a significant concern. Price notes that spouses, children, and other close family members can experience high levels of stress and anxiety due to their loved one’s condition. Comprehensive treatment plans that include the entire family can help mitigate these effects and promote overall well-being.
“It’s not just the person who experienced the actual event; it’s also about what’s been happening in the home for many years. Working with a mental health practitioner is highly encouraged,” Price shares.
If you are interested in learning more about PTSD treatment, The Reset Center offers a free mental health assessment, functioning similarly to a fitness tracker. This tool helps individuals monitor their mental health and recognize when they might need additional support.
“It tells you the difference in your score from the last time to this time. We actually use it clinically to measure results—before treatment, after treatment, and for ongoing assessments. If your scores start to drop, or if we see anxiety, depression, insomnia, or PTSD scores starting to decline, it alerts us. This helps us know that it might be time for more treatment or that there might be something else going on that you need to look into or talk to your family doctor about,” Price adds.
The Power of Sleep and Consistency
Beyond the treatment itself, Price emphasizes the importance of consistent sleep and healthy lifestyle choices. “One thing that worked best for me in organizing my life was getting consistent sleep. If you haven’t read the book ‘Why We Sleep’, I recommend it. It teaches you how crucial sleep is for mental and physical health. When you don’t sleep well, your antibodies aren’t as strong, you don’t process information as well, and you’re not as healthy mentally or physically,” Price adds.
However, for those with PTSD, getting adequate sleep can be a challenge. “When you have PTSD, you can’t sleep, and it keeps you up at night. What we do know is that the neurosympathetic reset treatment helps significantly with insomnia. People who haven’t slept well in years suddenly find themselves sleeping seven or eight hours a night,” Price notes.
For those interested in exploring this treatment, The Reset Center offers numerous resources. “They can go to our website, theresetcenter.com, and request a free mental health assessment. They can also join webinars or information sessions, watch videos, read testimonials, and review medical papers. Our patient engagement team is always available to explain the process and what happens,” Price says.
In closing, Price shares the hopeful outlook this treatment brings. “I’ve seen patients who have suffered for years finally find relief. It’s not just about treating symptoms but about giving people their lives back. Whether it’s a first responder finding peace after years of trauma or a family healing together, this treatment offers a new path forward.”
Price also recommends the following resources:
