*Having received treatment for the PTSD she experienced after a severe injury, Lianne is again able to enjoy traveling with her family.* For Lianne Csicsek, everything changed during a visit with her daughter in South Carolina. Lianne, who has [diabetes](/diabetes-resource-center "Department of Endocrinology: Clinical Diabetes Program: Diabetes Resource Center | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)"), experienced a severe hypoglycemic seizure that caused a serious fall and required extensive surgery. Her recovery lasted seven weeks, and to this day, she does not remember the seizure, the fall, or the weeks after surgery. What she does remember is the fear that came with it. “I was afraid of ever feeling that way again,” Lianne said. A mother of two now living in New Hampshire, Lianne returned home determined to focus on healing physically, emotionally, and neurologically from some defects imposed on her from the [traumatic brain injury](/departments/neurology/concussion-and-traumatic-brain-injury "Department of Neurology: Concussion and Traumatic Brain Injury Program | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)"). ## Finding Support at BMC When Lianne came to BMC for follow-up care, she was dealing with ongoing anxiety and emotional stress, even as her physical injuries healed. While she was on a waitlist for a [neuropsychology](/departments/neurology/neuropsychology "Department of Neurology: Division of Neuropsychology | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)") evaluation, her primary care physician introduced her to a research study at BMC focused on [improving access to care for people experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)](/restore "Department of Psychiatry: RESTORE Center: REcovery from Stress and Trauma through Outpatient care, Research, and Education | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)"). Lianne agreed to take part in a pilot of a web-based PTSD program. “At the time, I didn’t fully realize that what I was feeling could be PTSD,” she said. “But I knew I needed help.” ## Learning Skills That Last The online program focused on practical tools, such as breathing exercises, coping skills, and stress management techniques. Importantly, it did not require participants to describe or relive their traumatic experiences. “The tools I took away were huge for me,” Lianne said. “Learning how to breathe through stress, let go of things I can’t change, and calm myself in the moment made a real difference.” She also learned strategies for communicating more thoughtfully with others, like paying attention to how she was speaking to others, being more patient, and better understanding where others are coming from. These skills had a meaningful impact on her relationship with her husband, who has supported her throughout her recovery. “We’re better at compromising now,” she said. “I have a different mindset. I’m more cautious about how I resolve disagreements, but I’m still myself. And I have skills to tell myself, ‘I can do this.’” Over time, those skills helped Lianne regain confidence in her daily life. She recently flew on a plane by herself for the first time since the seizure and even returned to travel with her family, which felt overwhelming prior to her participation in the program. ## Expanding Access to PTSD Care Lianne’s experience reflects a larger challenge in health care. Research suggests that [70 to 85 percent of people living with PTSD never receive any treatment](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10349653/ "Testing adaptive interventions to improve PTSD treatment outcomes in Federally Qualified Health Centers: Protocol for a randomized clinical trial. Contemp Clin Trials. 2023 Apr 10;129:107182. doi: 10.1016/j.cct.2023.107182 | PubMed Central from the National Library of Medicine (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)"). Led by clinical psychologist [Sarah E. Valentine, PhD](/about-us/directory/doctor/sarah-e-valentine-phd "Sarah E. Valentine, PhD | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)"), BMC’s new research study is exploring ways to improve access to PTSD care for patients in primary care settings. [Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health](https://reporter.nih.gov/search/r7u5KwMvuECy8W8MT4UpWQ/project-details/11034592 "Project Details: Adaptive interventions to improve posttraumatic stress (PTSD) treatment access, engagement, and effectiveness in routine care | NIH RePORTER, from the National Institutes of Health (reporter.nih.gov)"), the project is examining whether a stepped-care model, which coordinates primary care and specialty mental health services, can help close longstanding gaps in PTSD treatment. BMC Health System is the first to implement this sort of stepped-care model for PTSD. The study builds on earlier pilot work conducted at BMC, including the project Lianne participated in, and reflects BMC’s broader commitment to advancing trauma-informed care through research. Based at BMC’s [RESTORE Center](/restore "Department of Psychiatry: RESTORE Center: REcovery from Stress and Trauma through Outpatient care, Research, and Education | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)"), Dr. Valentine’s team studies innovative approaches to supporting people affected by trauma while helping expand the evidence base for PTSD treatment in health systems. ## Looking Forward For Lianne, the impact is deeply personal. “I’m still healing,” she said. “But now I have tools, confidence, and the ability to speak up for myself. That’s something I’ll always carry with me.” [Learn More About BMC’s New PTSD Research](/restore "Department of Psychiatry: RESTORE Center: REcovery from Stress and Trauma through Outpatient care, Research, and Education | Boston Medical Center (bmc.org)") [View all BMC stories](/stories) ### Psychiatry [Explore Department](/departments/psychiatry) ### Related Stories [#### Patient Story: A Family’s Sacrifice and the Right Care Give Dylan Back His Childhood Pediatric Surgery ](/stories/patient-story-familys-sacrifice-and-right-care-give-dylan-back-his-childhood) [#### A Mobile Approach to Prostate Cancer Screening and Follow-Up Care Urology ](/stories/mobile-approach-prostate-cancer-screening-and-follow-care) [#### Advancing Multidisciplinary Care for Inflammatory Bowel Disease Crohn’s and Colitis Program ](/stories/dr-perera-physician-spotlight) [#### Patient Story: Mateo Is Back on the Field after a Life-Threatening Pulmonary Embolism Hematology-Oncology (Pediatrics) ](/stories/mateo-is-back-on-the-field) - [Load More](?page=1 "Load more items") .container--content > * { max-width: 900px; margin-left: 0; }