“Rayna’s” Story

From early childhood through adulthood, Rayna endured unimaginable trauma: subjected to sexual, physical, and verbal abuse at the hands of family members and community members over two decades, and later, within her marriage. Despite these profound scars, Rayna persevered, navigating life with a misdiagnosis of depression, unaware of the co-morbid PTSD that had taken root.

While she was diagnosed with depression in her 20s, it would take another 20 years until she was properly diagnosed with co-morbid PTSD. In the intervening years, Rayna found the strength to graduate from college and raise three children. Yet, beneath her accomplishments, she carried the weight of fear, feeling “too scared of the real world” to pursue her dreams of further education.  Her marriage dissolved, the world around her closed in; she retreated from friends, relinquished her once-active lifestyle of hiking and travel, and slipped into deeper isolation. Depression tightened its grip, leading to multiple hospitalizations and suicide attempts. Overwhelmed and alone, Rayna retreated to her home, finding comfort only in brief interactions with her grown children and brother.

In her early 50s, however, a glimmer of hope appeared. She connected with a provider trained in Prolonged Exposure Therapy, thanks to the support of the Gavin Farrell Foundation. The clinician accurately diagnosed Rayna with PTSD and introduced her to Prolonged Exposure Therapy.  As she faced her trauma, session by session, she was amazed by the power of healing. Within 10 sessions, Rayna reached full remission—a transformation she describes as “getting her life back.” She recalls, “I had stopped doing anything outside of my medical appointments; my life had dwindled to nothing. But now, the world is becoming a safer place.”

Determined to rebuild her life, Rayna took bold steps: venturing to the supermarket, meeting friends for lunch, and even going to the movies for the first time in 15 years—remarking with a laugh at how much ticket prices had risen! With each outing, her world expanded, and her spirit grew lighter. Today, she marvels at the freedom of living without fear, at being part of a world she once felt was closed to her. She continues to challenge herself, knowing that her life is no longer confined to the walls of her home. Envisioning a fuller, more connected future, she plans to sustain her progress with occasional check-ins from her therapist.

Rayna’s story is a powerful reminder that healing from PTSD is possible with evidence-based treatments.