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Mental Health HomepageConditions LibraryConditions CategoryConditions CategoryCognitive Behavioral Therapy for PTSD Treatment
Table of Contents:OverviewDoes Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Help With PTSD?Core Components of CBTTypes of CBT Techniques for PTSDGetting Help for PTSD
PTSDRead Time: 7 Minutes
Published On: September 22, 2021
Reviewed On: September 22, 2021
Updated On: November 2, 2023
OverviewCognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) is a popular form of psychotherapy that starts with a basic premise:if we can change how we think, we can change our behavior patterns.CBT has proven to be an effective treatment for a number of mental health conditions, and it’s thought to be one of the most effective options for treatingpost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). Considering the fact that almost 9 million adults in America have PTSD, it’s critical to look at effective treatment options like cognitive behavioral therapy to see how they can help. CBT for PTSD encourages those struggling to adopt skills that help treat, and in some cases even eliminate, PTSD symptoms.
Overview
Cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) is a popular form of psychotherapy that starts with a basic premise:if we can change how we think, we can change our behavior patterns.
CBT has proven to be an effective treatment for a number of mental health conditions, and it’s thought to be one of the most effective options for treatingpost-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD). Considering the fact that almost 9 million adults in America have PTSD, it’s critical to look at effective treatment options like cognitive behavioral therapy to see how they can help. CBT for PTSD encourages those struggling to adopt skills that help treat, and in some cases even eliminate, PTSD symptoms.
Does Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Help With PTSD?
There are several CBT techniques that are effective in treating individuals with chronic PTSD. CBT for PTSD can make it possible for a person to benefit from:
Many of our belief patterns are based on shortcuts that help us make sense of our world. When someone feels like they need to find a reason for their trauma, doing it alone (without the guidance of a therapist) can result in solutions that aren’t always helpful in terms of mental health. Cognitive therapy for PTSD makes it possible to accurately view trauma in the context of the bigger picture.
Expert Insight
Licensed and Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW)Liz Kelly, LCSW
Core Components of CBT
While there are a number of CBT techniques widely used, there are two core components of CBT for PTSD that are known for their efficacy in reducingPTSD symptoms. In general, all subsequent techniques will fall into one of these two overarching categories.
Cognitive restructuring
Cognitive restructuring is a technique that helps someone make sense of a traumatic experience or memory. It’s normal (and actually very common) to recall a trauma slightly to significantly different than how it actually happened. For example, some people will remember a traumatic experience in a disjointed way. Or they may completely block out certain parts of what happened to them. They also may have feelings of shame or a sense of guilt associated with their trauma, despite it not being their fault.
Exposure therapy
CBT incorporates a number of specific beliefs that work together, including:
Types of CBT Techniques for PTSDCBT for PTSD is typically approached with one or more of the following types of CBT:Cognitive Processing Therapy(CPT):CPT asks individuals to confront both a traumatic event, as well as the effects they feel as a result of it. This can be effective for those who feel stuck in one way of thinking, and thus are unable to recover from their chronic PTSD. CPT is a trauma focused therapy that helps break these patterns and helps people to move on.Prolonged Exposure Therapy (PE):PE relies more on behavioral therapy techniques to help people approach specific memories, situations, and emotions that bring out the worst of their symptom severity. Exposure can be done through imagination, virtual reality, or real-life scenarios.Stress Inoculation Training (SIT):Stress inoculation training focuses on teaching those withPTSD specific copingskills. Some of these skills can include breathing techniques, muscle relaxation, and cognitive restructuring. This can help someone react differently to scenarios that increased their stress and anxiety at one time due to their PTSD.
Types of CBT Techniques for PTSD
CBT for PTSD is typically approached with one or more of the following types of CBT:
CBT for PTSD: Different strategies for different peopleCBT is not just one strategy or treatment plan. Therapists must work with individual clients to develop a system that works for effective treatment. The goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD is for the treatment to be a collaboration between therapist and client. In general, prolonged exposure therapy has been found to be incredibly successful when dealing with post-traumatic stress. Because of that, prolonged exposure therapy is often used in a number of situations when it comes to trauma treatment with positive results.Regardless of the tactics used though, CBT for PTSD is not always done solely in-session. Those who are suffering from trauma may be asked to do homework as a part of their recovery, too. Reinforcing and strengthening skills between each session can help speed up the therapy process and result in a more effective treatment plan.
CBT for PTSD: Different strategies for different people
CBT is not just one strategy or treatment plan. Therapists must work with individual clients to develop a system that works for effective treatment. The goal of cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD is for the treatment to be a collaboration between therapist and client. In general, prolonged exposure therapy has been found to be incredibly successful when dealing with post-traumatic stress. Because of that, prolonged exposure therapy is often used in a number of situations when it comes to trauma treatment with positive results.
Regardless of the tactics used though, CBT for PTSD is not always done solely in-session. Those who are suffering from trauma may be asked to do homework as a part of their recovery, too. Reinforcing and strengthening skills between each session can help speed up the therapy process and result in a more effective treatment plan.
Getting Help for PTSDNo matter what the trauma was, or how significant symptom severity is, it’s important that to understand there is help available for those recovering from PTSD. CBT and PTSD go hand-in-hand with one another because ultimately it’s often thoughts and fears resulting from a traumatic experience that lead to the worst symptoms.By adjusting those thoughts on an incremental basis, many people find they can leave a large portion of a traumatic event in the past without ignoring its significance. Cognitive therapy for PTSD doesn’t seek to discount your lived experiences. Nor does it attempt to minimize the impact or severity of what’s happened to you. Recognizing your experience is an essential part of your healing, so it’s worth noting this aspect upfront. This way you can set healthy expectations about what your therapy will entail.At its core, cognitive behavioral therapy was founded on the basis of respect for an individual’s feelings. It centers around meeting you where you are mentally. By challenging negative thoughts (for example, the fact that bad things happen to bad people) and offering exposure to situations that were once believed impossible to handle, people with PTSD can start to see their lives from a very different perspective.Is CBT the right PTSD treatment for you?There are several treatment options for those looking for help with their PTSD. For example, one such technique, eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR therapy), is considered aneffectiveform of treatment.Other options include problem-solving therapy, supportive psychotherapy,psychodynamic therapy, and present-centered therapy, to name just a few. When looking at all of the therapies out there, CBT for PTSD seems to be associated with better remission rates in comparison overall.If you have PTSD and are looking for help, traditional therapy settings, where you meet with a therapist face to face is one option. But there are other opportunities for you to seek treatment, too. Online CBT sessions with a trusted, licensed Talkspace therapist can be a first step toward improving your life and reducing your PTSD symptoms.
Getting Help for PTSD
No matter what the trauma was, or how significant symptom severity is, it’s important that to understand there is help available for those recovering from PTSD. CBT and PTSD go hand-in-hand with one another because ultimately it’s often thoughts and fears resulting from a traumatic experience that lead to the worst symptoms.By adjusting those thoughts on an incremental basis, many people find they can leave a large portion of a traumatic event in the past without ignoring its significance. Cognitive therapy for PTSD doesn’t seek to discount your lived experiences. Nor does it attempt to minimize the impact or severity of what’s happened to you. Recognizing your experience is an essential part of your healing, so it’s worth noting this aspect upfront. This way you can set healthy expectations about what your therapy will entail.At its core, cognitive behavioral therapy was founded on the basis of respect for an individual’s feelings. It centers around meeting you where you are mentally. By challenging negative thoughts (for example, the fact that bad things happen to bad people) and offering exposure to situations that were once believed impossible to handle, people with PTSD can start to see their lives from a very different perspective.
No matter what the trauma was, or how significant symptom severity is, it’s important that to understand there is help available for those recovering from PTSD. CBT and PTSD go hand-in-hand with one another because ultimately it’s often thoughts and fears resulting from a traumatic experience that lead to the worst symptoms.
By adjusting those thoughts on an incremental basis, many people find they can leave a large portion of a traumatic event in the past without ignoring its significance. Cognitive therapy for PTSD doesn’t seek to discount your lived experiences. Nor does it attempt to minimize the impact or severity of what’s happened to you. Recognizing your experience is an essential part of your healing, so it’s worth noting this aspect upfront. This way you can set healthy expectations about what your therapy will entail.
At its core, cognitive behavioral therapy was founded on the basis of respect for an individual’s feelings. It centers around meeting you where you are mentally. By challenging negative thoughts (for example, the fact that bad things happen to bad people) and offering exposure to situations that were once believed impossible to handle, people with PTSD can start to see their lives from a very different perspective.
Is CBT the right PTSD treatment for you?There are several treatment options for those looking for help with their PTSD. For example, one such technique, eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR therapy), is considered aneffectiveform of treatment.Other options include problem-solving therapy, supportive psychotherapy,psychodynamic therapy, and present-centered therapy, to name just a few. When looking at all of the therapies out there, CBT for PTSD seems to be associated with better remission rates in comparison overall.If you have PTSD and are looking for help, traditional therapy settings, where you meet with a therapist face to face is one option. But there are other opportunities for you to seek treatment, too. Online CBT sessions with a trusted, licensed Talkspace therapist can be a first step toward improving your life and reducing your PTSD symptoms.
Is CBT the right PTSD treatment for you?
There are several treatment options for those looking for help with their PTSD. For example, one such technique, eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR therapy), is considered aneffectiveform of treatment.
Other options include problem-solving therapy, supportive psychotherapy,psychodynamic therapy, and present-centered therapy, to name just a few. When looking at all of the therapies out there, CBT for PTSD seems to be associated with better remission rates in comparison overall.
If you have PTSD and are looking for help, traditional therapy settings, where you meet with a therapist face to face is one option. But there are other opportunities for you to seek treatment, too. Online CBT sessions with a trusted, licensed Talkspace therapist can be a first step toward improving your life and reducing your PTSD symptoms.
See ReferencesCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)APA. Published 2017. Accessed August 18, 2021.PTSD Treatment & FactsAnxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Adaa.org. Published 2021. Accessed August 20, 2021.CBT for PTSD: Basics and RationaleBarbara Olasov Rothbaum. Psychotherapy Academy. Published 2020. Accessed August 19, 2021.What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?APA. Published 2017. Accessed August 20, 2021.Cognitive behavioral therapy for the treatment of PTSDSyros. I. Psychotraumatology in Greece: Abstracts of the First Greek Psychotraumatology Conference. doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2017.1351219. Published online: 27 Jul 2017.Posttraumatic Stress DisorderNAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. Nami.org. Published 2017. Accessed August 18, 2021.
See References
APA. Published 2017. Accessed August 18, 2021.
Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Adaa.org. Published 2021. Accessed August 20, 2021.
Barbara Olasov Rothbaum. Psychotherapy Academy. Published 2020. Accessed August 19, 2021.
APA. Published 2017. Accessed August 20, 2021.
Syros. I. Psychotraumatology in Greece: Abstracts of the First Greek Psychotraumatology Conference. doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2017.1351219. Published online: 27 Jul 2017.
NAMI: National Alliance on Mental Illness. Nami.org. Published 2017. Accessed August 18, 2021.
Ashley ErtelAshley Ertel, LCSW, is a Nationally Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has over a decade of experience specializing in trauma and depression, working primarily with first responders, military personnel, and veterans, and sexual assault survivors.
Ashley Ertel, LCSW, is a Nationally Board Certified Licensed Clinical Social Worker. She has over a decade of experience specializing in trauma and depression, working primarily with first responders, military personnel, and veterans, and sexual assault survivors.
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