Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD

 

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence based treatment for PTSD. We can find a CPT provider through the Strong Star Provider Network at University of Texas Health Science Center or even through Psychology Today or Google.

CPT typically takes 12 sessions with a therapist; each session is about 60 minutes. CPT can be done individually or in group sessions, and it uses a workbook for written assignments (this is a picture of an "ABC Worksheet" used in CPT). "Cognitive" means that we pay attention to our thoughts and think about what we are thinking about. 

CPT recognizes that trauma warps our fundamental belief systems—beliefs about ourselves, others, and the world—and that those warped beliefs affect our walking, talking, everyday lives.

In CPT, we learn about the relationships between thoughts and emotions and then learn to identify the automatics thoughts that maintain our PTSD symptoms. 

We write an “impact statement” that details our understanding of why the traumatic event occurred and what impact it has had on our belief systems. Next, we’ll use workbook exercises to identify and address unhelpful thinking patterns related to safety, trust, power and control, esteem, and intimacy. Our therapist will ask questions and work with us to recognize unhelpful thinking patterns, reframe our thoughts, reduce our symptoms, and come to a better understanding about ourselves and our relationships.

CPT forces us to get out of "auto-pilot" and start challenging our thought patterns. Often these are thoughts we have held on to for a long time. 

Have you tried CPT? What worked for you? We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

Calling a Mental Health Therapist

Once we find a therapist, we can call and request a phone consultation with them. Keep in mind that we may call and leave messages with several providers but only hear back from a few. (Therapists can be crappy this way.) 

During the phone consult:

·         Briefly explain why we are seeking therapy

·         Ask what experience they have treating clients like us

·         Ask if they are trained in evidence-based treatments for PTSD/Moral Injury 

This may sound like, “I’m trying to cope with the trauma and fallout of my abusive marriage. What kind of treatment do you use for PTSD?” 

If the therapist does not have training in an evidence-based treatment for PTSD, ask them if they can recommend someone who does. 

Next, we’ll make our first appointment. It’s okay to feel nervous; in this first session, we are getting to know the therapist and trying to determine if it is a relationship that will last. 

It also might not be. Not all therapists are compatible with all clients, and that’s okay. The relationship between a client and their therapist is important; we need to feel a sense of trust with our therapist in order to improve. 

Some therapists are unprofessional or simply not good at their jobs. We’re not trying to be ugly; it is what it is. If you don’t click with your therapist, it’s not necessarily you. Keep looking - there is excellent advice online about how to choose the best therapist. 

Having a therapist we can trust is an important cornerstone for our social support network and is vital to our recovery.

Do you know other ideas? If so, please reach out and let folks know on our Community Facebook Page.

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

My Birthday - Your Gift! Download The Quick Start Guide

I love birthdays because they are a celebration of life. Today is my birthday and I am celebrating by giving back to this amazing community.

Download your "Soldiers Quick Start Guide" to learn about myths and rumors about PTSD that are not true and learn about your PTSD symptoms as they are outlined in the DSM-5.

This is for The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, and not the Women's Guide which will be released this month. You can pre-order your copy of Acknowledge and Heal: A Women-Focused Guide To Understanding PTSD and be one of the first to review!

We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD

High-Functioning People with PTSD

Unfortunately, there are many rumors about PTSD that are NOT true, and here is one we hear often: "People who have a history of trauma cannot be high-functioning members of society." Let's talk about why this is a load of bull:

When we define trauma and what someone with a trauma history looks like, we often miss out on seeing the truth of their personal history. We expect to see someone showing some form of self-destructive behavior in an attempt to self-sooth. But that is not always the case. 

Trauma is often thought of as an isolated event: a car crash, sexual assault, or maybe something happening during military service. While singular events can be traumatic, we’re ignoring a whole host of ongoing situations and relational traumas a person can experience. Many of which are outlined in Acknowledge and Heal: A Women-Focused Guide To Understanding PTSD 

When a person is exposed to ongoing trauma, their mind tries to adapt. It’s the brain’s job to keep us alive, so in situations where we cannot escape our trauma, the brain switches from fight or flight, or to a more adaptive "tend and befriend" mode, allowing us to remain as safe as possible in the ongoing traumatic situation. 

In short, we develop coping mechanisms to keep everything peaceful. And, as long as things are relatively calm in our lives, we appear “normal.” 

In some cases, our focus is shifted outward, toward the things we can control: grades, promotions, seeking independence, and financial security. Many trauma survivors become fiercely independent because of the betrayal of the trauma they experienced left them knowing the only person they could rely on was themselves (e.g. a former child of abusive or neglectful parents). To a spectator, these individuals seem like they have it all together. They couldn’t possibly be struggling with PTSD, right? 

Wrong. 

If they have had to lean on self-sufficiency for survival, it is likely that by the time they desperately need help, they have perfected their mask of indifference and fortified their emotional barriers to the point that they have become reflexes. No longer aware of the walls they throw up, these people can be very difficult to diagnose. 

Either way the pendulum swings, self-destructive or super high-functioning, the person who has experienced trauma (singular or ongoing) is attempting to compensate for it. And that may work for them for many years, until it doesn’t. 

The bottom line is that being outwardly high-functioning and needing trauma recovery work are not mutually exclusive. Just because someone appears to be high functioning, it doesn’t mean they don’t suffer.

What is your experience with high-functioning PTSD? We value your feedback and ideas! Reach out on our Community Facebook Page!

*****

“If you believe change is possible, you want to change, and you are willing to do the work, you absolutely CAN get your life back.”

Get your copy of The Soldier's Guide to PTSD, The Soldier's Workbook, 

or Acknowledge & Heal, A Women's-Focused Guide to PTSD