Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD
Cognitive processing Therapy (or CPT) is just one of many evidence-based approaches to treat trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This is my preferred approach as it reflects the belief that how you feel after a trauma is connected to the story you tell our self about what happened. Understanding the connection between the two is integral in recovering from trauma and PTSD.
PTSD: A Disorder of Non-Recovery
PTSD symptoms are nearly universal immediately following a traumatic event. Overtime, for many people, the symptoms naturally decrease and they recover from the traumatic event. But there are also people who do not recover and are later diagnosed with PTSD. Based on that, it is helpful to think of PTSD as a problem with recovery. If you have been diagnosed with PTSD, something has gotten in the way of your recovery and it is our goal to change that.
EmotioNs and PTSD
One of the reasons people get stuck in the recovery process of a traumatic event is a fear of the emotions associated with the event. These are natural emotions that need to be felt, and avoiding them prohibits them from running their natural course and proves to you that they are unmanageable. CPT provides framework to feel these emotions, allowing them to run their course and helps build confidence in your ability to manage any emotion, positive or negative.
creating a safer world
The other component of CPT is to understand how the traumatic event changed our beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world. Working together we can identify unhelpful thought patterns that create a much less safe world and change them to reflect reality. Because when our thoughts and perceptions reflect reality, we can trust how we feel and what actions we should take.