The Weight of Nursing: When Caring for Others Leaves You Struggling

Every day, you show up for others—offering care, strength, and compassion, even when it feels like you have nothing left to give. The demands of nursing, from long shifts to emotionally draining moments, can leave you feeling overwhelmed, exhausted, and alone.

For many nurses, the stress doesn’t stop when the shift ends. Unresolved trauma, anxiety, and emotional exhaustion can lead to unhealthy coping mechanisms like alcohol addiction or substance abuse. If this resonates with you, please know you’re not alone, and you don’t have to face these challenges by yourself.

At Deer Hollow, we do things differently. Unlike most mental health centers that only treat the symptoms of trauma, such as addiction or anxiety, we focus on healing the root cause—trauma itself. By addressing the emotional wounds that lead to these symptoms, we provide lasting healing and reduce the likelihood of needing repeat treatment stays.

Take the first step toward healing—call us now at (801) 679-6669.

Why Nurses Are Struggling Like Never Before

Nursing is one of the most demanding professions in the world. You balance life-and-death decisions, grueling hours, and emotional stress day after day. Over time, these challenges can take a toll, and many nurses turn to alcohol or substances as a way to cope with the unrelenting pressure.

Some common challenges include:

  • Alcohol Addiction: Often used to numb stress or relax after overwhelming shifts.
  • Prescription Medication Misuse: Taken to manage chronic pain or stay alert through long hours.
  • Substance Abuse:Turned to as an escape from emotional pain or unprocessed trauma.

At Deer Hollow, we specialize in trauma recovery, offering effective care for nurses, law enforcement, firefighters, and veterans. Since 2015, our focus on healing trauma and its effects has earned us a reputation as the top choice for first responders seeking lasting recovery.

Depressed nurse struggles with unresolved trauma and guilt after losing a patient, highlighting the need for specialized addiction and mental health treatment at Deer Hollow.

What Makes Deer Hollow Different

Emergency room nurse struggling with trauma after treating a family burned to death in a house fire, highlighting the need for Deer Hollow’s addiction and mental health programs tailored for nurses dealing with unresolved trauma.

There are many mental health centers across the country, but most focus only on treating symptoms like addiction, without addressing the root cause—trauma. At Deer Hollow, we take a different approach by treating trauma and its effects, offering complete care for lasting healing.

Here’s why nurses choose Deer Hollow:

  • We Treat the Root Cause: Trauma often leads to symptoms such as addiction. By healing the trauma itself, we provide deeper, more lasting recovery.
  • Effective Therapies: While many centers offer only a few types of therapy, we provide a range of proven, trauma-specific therapies, each selected to help heal trauma and promote lasting well-being.
  • Step-Down Programs: Our programs, like Intensive Outpatient Programming (IOP) and Telehealth, offer support as you transition back to your daily life, ensuring that recovery continues beyond treatment.

The Connection Between Trauma and Addiction

Addiction isn’t just about substances—it’s a way of coping with unprocessed pain. For nurses, workplace trauma is the root cause of addiction, depression, and anxiety.

Sources of workplace trauma include:

  • Witnessing patient deaths and suffering.
  • Feeling guilt over medical decisions or outcomes.
  • Managing overwhelming workloads and staff shortages.

At Deer Hollow, we focus on healing these emotional wounds. Our trauma-focused approach ensures that we address the underlying pain that drives addiction, leading to lasting recovery.

Nurse coping with trauma after the death of an infant in his care, emphasizing the importance of Deer Hollow’s specialized addiction and mental health programs for nurses facing PTSD and unresolved trauma.

How Long Does Treatment Take?

We understand that taking time for treatment can feel overwhelming, especially with the demands of nursing. That’s why we offer flexible options to fit your schedule and needs:

Operating room nurse sitting in a hospital hallway, experiencing trauma after the death of a patient, highlighting the need for Deer Hollow’s addiction and mental health treatment programs tailored for nurses dealing with PTSD and unresolved trauma.

Residential Care (Inpatient Care)

Duration: Approximately 35 days

Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)

Duration: Approximately 6-8 weeks

Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)

Duration: Approximately 4-8 weeks, with flexibility based on progress.

Telehealth

We provide two telehealth programs:

  • Step-Down Care: Virtual group sessions are held three evenings per week for individuals transitioning from a higher level of care at Deer Hollow.
  • Introductory Care for Nurses: Virtual group sessions three evenings per week for nurses and their spouses who have not previously attended Deer Hollow.

What We Treat

Deer Hollow specializes in treating the mental health and addiction challenges that nurses face.

Our programs address:

Sad and overworked nurse experiencing trauma, emphasizing the importance of Deer Hollow’s specialized addiction and mental health treatment programs for nurses struggling with PTSD and substance abuse.
Depressed nurse feeling overwhelming guilt after the death of a child patient, emphasizing the mental health challenges faced by first responders and the specialized PTSD and addiction treatment programs offered at Deer Hollow's wellness center.

Why Nurses Choose Deer Hollow

Deer Hollow isn’t just another treatment center—it’s the best choice for nurses seeking true and lasting recovery.

Here’s why:

Comprehensive Healing:

We don’t just treat addiction; we treat the trauma that fuels it.

Diverse Therapies:

Unlike other centers, we focus on the most effective therapies for trauma, tailoring treatment specifically to your needs for better results.

Step-Down Care:

Our extensive programs prepare you to transition smoothly back into normal life, focusing on long-term healing and stability.

Does Trauma Treatment Work?

Yes, trauma treatment works—and at Deer Hollow, it changes lives. Our success is rooted in offering the most comprehensive range of therapies available, ensuring every client gets the care they need.

Our therapies include:

Female nurse in protective gear experiencing trauma after the death of a COVID-19 patient, emphasizing the need for Deer Hollow’s addiction treatment and mental health programs designed for nurses coping with PTSD and substance abuse.
Overworked male nurse staring out a window, experiencing trauma from repeated exposure to patient fatalities, highlighting the need for Deer Hollow’s addiction treatment and mental health programs tailored for nurses struggling with PTSD and substance abuse.

How Much Does Treatment Cost?

The cost of treatment will vary based on your situation and the type of program you need.

However, Deer Hollow accepts most major insurance plans.

Our Admissions Team is well-versed in Washington’s presumptive workers’ compensation law, which covers nurses with PTSD after 90 days of employment with direct patient care. This groundbreaking legislation recognizes PTSD as a covered diagnosis for registered nurses, providing access to the care you need without financial worry.

Your Healing Starts Here

You’ve spent your life helping others—now it’s time to take care of yourself. At Deer Hollow, we offer the support, expertise, and compassion needed to heal from trauma and its effects, including addiction. Our Admissions Team specializes in navigating health insurance benefits, workers’ compensation, and other resources to help reduce the financial burden of treatment.