Silver Hill Hospital Launches Transitional Living Program for the Treatment of Trauma

The residential program will provide specialized treatment for individuals with severe trauma and dissociative disorders

NEW CANAAN, Conn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Silver Hill Hospital, one of the nation’s premier psychiatric hospitals, is maintaining its commitment to treating complex psychiatric disorders by launching its new Transitional Living Program (TLP) for the Treatment of Trauma. The program offers a residential setting for the treatment of individuals struggling with symptoms from past traumas.

Trauma and dissociative disorders affect millions, with 6% of the U.S. population experiencing PTSD at some point in their life and 2% having a dissociative disorder. Severe trauma and dissociative disorders require specialized and intensive treatment settings, yet few programs exist, leaving this population highly undertreated.

Silver Hill’s Trauma TLP meets the intense demand for effective and safe treatment. Using the tri-phasic approach, the program focuses on stabilizing post-traumatic and dissociative symptoms and prioritizes the importance of stabilizing comorbid conditions and symptoms, including mood, anxiety, obsessive-compulsive, disordered eating, personality, and substance use symptoms. The program begins with a comprehensive evaluation and assessment of symptoms followed by a combination of trauma symptom management skills, psychoeducational groups, dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help stabilize an individual’s condition via an overarching psychodynamic approach.

The Trauma TLP was developed and is directed by Emily E. Haas, MD. Dr. Haas is an expert in the diagnosis and treatment of complex trauma and dissociative disorders. She specialized in trauma psychiatry while working at the Trauma Disorders Unit at Sheppard Pratt Hospital, where she served as Co-Service Chief before joining Silver Hill.

Dr. Haas will be supported by a team of clinical social workers and residential counselors, ensuring patients have 24/7 coaching and support.

“Silver Hill’s residential trauma program is highly specialized, and every aspect of the program – from the clinical programming to the staff training – was designed with intention to meet the needs of individuals who have experienced trauma,” said Dr. Haas. “With our expertise and Silver Hill’s unique campus, we can offer effective, safe, and life-changing treatment to individuals with trauma and dissociative disorders.”

The Trauma TLP is a voluntary, intensive therapy-based program for adults with a 6-week minimum – and 12-week recommended -- stay. The residential setting offers each patient a single room to ensure a protected and therapeutic environment, which is especially important for patients who may struggle with nightmares, fear and mistrust of others, and difficulty feeling safe in a new environment. Silver Hill Hospital’s secure and peaceful environment is an ideal location to recover from trauma.

“At Silver Hill, we believe deeply in our responsibility to treat all complex psychiatric disorders, and our clinical team is committed to caring for patients and their families throughout the entire continuum of care,” said Andrew J. Gerber, M.D., Ph.D., President and Medical Director of Silver Hill Hospital. “With a renowned and deep understanding of trauma and dissociative disorders, Dr. Haas and her highly skilled team at the Trauma TLP will further our mission and offer hope to an often misunderstood and undertreated population.”

About Silver Hill Hospital

Established in 1931, Silver Hill Hospital is a nationally recognized leader in the treatment of psychiatric and addiction disorders. The Hospital has 21 full-time board-certified psychiatrists and admits more than 3,000 adolescents and adults annually for disorders that include addiction, depression, trauma, anxiety, bipolar disorder, personality disorders and schizophrenia, among others. Located on 44 scenic acres in New Canaan, Connecticut, the Hospital is especially known for its expertise in treating complex conditions and co-occurring disorders in adults and adolescents.