WHO WE SERVE · PTSD
PTSD & Trauma-Related Support
Clarity explores MST (Multi-Sensory Training) as a complementary, nervous-system-focused approach alongside — never in place of — trauma-focused therapy and psychiatric care.
Common challenges with PTSD
PTSD can leave the nervous system in a persistent state of heightened alert, even when there is no current danger. Families and individuals often describe:
- Difficulty feeling calm or safe, even in familiar settings
- Sleep disturbances, including trouble falling or staying asleep
- Being easily startled or on edge
- Difficulty with focus, memory, or feeling "foggy"
- Mood regulation difficulty
- Physical tension or heightened stress responses
How MST is being explored for nervous-system regulation
MST simultaneously engages colored light, vestibular (motion) stimulation, auditory stimulation, and somatosensory input, processed together at the brainstem and subcortical level. These lower-brain circuits are closely tied to the autonomic nervous system — the system that governs the body's shift between a stress ("fight-or-flight") state and a calm, regulated state. Independent descriptions of MST describe it as working, in part, through direct action on the autonomic nervous system, which is part of why it is explored by people navigating PTSD, alongside trauma-focused therapy.
The typical program is a 12-day in-office intensive (two 30-minute sessions per day), followed by an 18-day at-home continuation. Most people notice early changes before the program is complete, though the full effect is typically not apparent until around 90 days.
What research says
What We Know
MST was developed by Dr. Steven J. Curtis, OD. His 2019 outcomes research (Curtis SJ, Vision Development & Rehabilitation, 2019;5(4):235–248) reported that a majority of parents observed meaningful improvement in their child after MST, across a mixed population that included wellness-focused cases.
What We Don't Know
This outcomes research does not isolate PTSD specifically, is parent-reported rather than clinician-measured for most of the population studied, and is developer-authored. There is currently no independent, large-scale clinical trial establishing MST's effect on PTSD specifically.
Questions to Ask
What does the published research actually measure, and in what population? How will progress be tracked against a starting baseline? How does this fit alongside your current trauma therapist, psychiatrist, or other mental health care?
Current conventional approaches
PTSD care commonly includes trauma-focused psychotherapy (such as EMDR or CPT), psychiatric care, and in some cases medication. Clarity's MST program is intended to complement this kind of care, not replace it — anyone exploring MST for PTSD should be doing so alongside an existing mental health provider, not as a substitute for one.
If you're in crisis
If you or someone you know is in crisis or experiencing thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 (Suicide & Crisis Lifeline) any time, or go to the nearest emergency room. Clarity is not equipped to provide crisis support.
Coming soon to the Orlando area
Clarity hasn't opened yet — join the waitlist to be contacted personally as soon as we do.