There is a reason the American Psychological Association strongly recommends Cognitive-Processing Therapy (CPT) for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD): because it works. Many research studies have backed up its effectiveness in reducing PTSD symptoms and improving overall quality of life.

One of the key ingredients to overcoming PTSD is overcoming avoidance. What maintains the symptoms of PTSD is avoidance of trauma-related stimuli, whether they are external (people, places, things) or internal (thoughts, memories, feelings). Some level of exposure to these things is a common component to most trauma treatments available, including in CPT.

What sets CPT apart from many of the other treatment options is its heavy focus on modifying trauma-related thoughts and beliefs. After experiencing a traumatic event, people typically search for reasons for why the event happens. Those who develop PTSD often develop beliefs about why the event happened that keep them stuck in suffering. They also often develop overgeneralized beliefs about things like trust and safety that inhibit their ability to develop close interpersonal relationships. The trauma-related beliefs often provoke intense feelings of guilt and shame, which further escalate the desire to avoid people, places, and things.

Modifying trauma-related beliefs leads to the “reprocessing” piece of CPT. In other words, individuals are guided by the therapist to gently test their beliefs about why the trauma occurred. They learn cognitive-modification skills that they are asked to practice consistently outside of sessions. With consistent practice, they develop newer, healthier ways of thinking about the trauma, and the normal emotions are allowed to take place (sadness, grief, anger). Guilt and shame typically subside. The avoidance behaviors also subside. Additionally, due to being able to more accurately assess situations in their lives thanks to their new cognitive skills, they often develop better trust in themselves and in others.

If you have experienced a traumatic event and think you may have PTSD, CPT may be right for you if:

• You regularly avoid thinking about the trauma
• You experience nightmares, flashbacks, or hypervigilance (a sense of constantly scanning your environment for threat)
• You feel distant and cut off from other people
• You believe that you are to blame for the traumatic event, or that you could have stopped it from occurring
• You feel stuck in guilt and shame when you think about the trauma
• You are interested in a structured, manualized treatment that involves assignments outside of the therapy session

If you decide that you are ready to receive treatment for PTSD, most importantly, please make sure that you feel as safe and secure with the therapist you plan to work with as you can.

Be Well,

Dr. Anna Sheedy