Evidenced Based Treatments for Trauma
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
The majority of people experience at least one potentially traumatic event in their lifetime, and almost all of those who do experience distress and symptoms following the event. However, most of these individuals recover naturally. For others, something interferes with this recovery process, which can lead to prolonged difficulties. For example, survivors may suppress all their feelings about the event out of a fear of being overwhelmed. Paradoxically, individuals who do this may be more likely to re-experience the event, such as in nightmares and by becoming upset when reminded of it. Alternatively, a survivor may develop unhelpful beliefs, such as the belief that the world is uniformly unsafe. Individuals who do this may have major difficulties in their social or occupational lives because they act as though these beliefs are true, such as by avoiding people and places.
The two main components of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are intended to address each of these types of responses. First, clients are helped to develop a narrative of their experience and to experience their feelings related to it. While this may be painful, clients often report feeling empowered by the process. Second, clients are helped to reevaluate any unhelpful beliefs they developed as a result of the experience. This often involves reevaluating themes such as responsibility, safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and any other issues a client reports, as they apply to their understanding of both themselves and of others.
CPT has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PTSD and other symptoms that often arise after a traumatic experience. While psychiatric medication can be a helpful supplement to psychotherapy for PTSD, exposure-based psychotherapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure are considered the gold standard treatments.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) for Trauma
After a traumatic event, many individuals experience distress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This distress may be highest when dealing with memories, thoughts, feelings, and situations that are related to the trauma.
Exposure therapy is a type of therapy that helps you decrease distress about your trauma. This therapy works by helping you approach trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding due to the distress they cause. Repeated exposure to these thoughts, feelings, and situations helps reduce the power they have to cause distress.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is one exposure therapy that works for many people who have experienced trauma. It has four main parts
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
The majority of people experience at least one potentially traumatic event in their lifetime, and almost all of those who do experience distress and symptoms following the event. However, most of these individuals recover naturally. For others, something interferes with this recovery process, which can lead to prolonged difficulties. For example, survivors may suppress all their feelings about the event out of a fear of being overwhelmed. Paradoxically, individuals who do this may be more likely to re-experience the event, such as in nightmares and by becoming upset when reminded of it. Alternatively, a survivor may develop unhelpful beliefs, such as the belief that the world is uniformly unsafe. Individuals who do this may have major difficulties in their social or occupational lives because they act as though these beliefs are true, such as by avoiding people and places.
The two main components of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are intended to address each of these types of responses. First, clients are helped to develop a narrative of their experience and to experience their feelings related to it. While this may be painful, clients often report feeling empowered by the process. Second, clients are helped to reevaluate any unhelpful beliefs they developed as a result of the experience. This often involves reevaluating themes such as responsibility, safety, trust, esteem, intimacy, and any other issues a client reports, as they apply to their understanding of both themselves and of others.
CPT has been shown to be effective in the treatment of PTSD and other symptoms that often arise after a traumatic experience. While psychiatric medication can be a helpful supplement to psychotherapy for PTSD, exposure-based psychotherapies such as Cognitive Processing Therapy and Prolonged Exposure are considered the gold standard treatments.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) for Trauma
After a traumatic event, many individuals experience distress and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This distress may be highest when dealing with memories, thoughts, feelings, and situations that are related to the trauma.
Exposure therapy is a type of therapy that helps you decrease distress about your trauma. This therapy works by helping you approach trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding due to the distress they cause. Repeated exposure to these thoughts, feelings, and situations helps reduce the power they have to cause distress.
Prolonged Exposure (PE) is one exposure therapy that works for many people who have experienced trauma. It has four main parts
- Education.
- Breathing.
- Real world practice.
- Talking through the trauma.
