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PTSD: National Center for PTSD

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Treatment Essentials

 

Treatment Essentials

As these articles show, trauma-focused psychotherapy is the premier treatment for PTSD, but medication has an important role to play. Emerging and alternative treatments, as well as methods to better engage patients or enhance their treatment response are also described.

Clinical Practice Guidelines

Psychotherapy

  • Overview of Psychotherapy for PTSD
    Reviews the 2023 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) evidence base for PTSD treatment, including discussion of the research underlying the recommendations for specific psychotherapies.
  • Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD
    Explains the theoretical model and session content of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), including a review of effectiveness research for individual and group modalities as well as studies including special populations and comorbidities
  • Prolonged Exposure for PTSD
    Explains the theoretical model and session content of Prolonged Exposure (PE), including a review of effectiveness research and studies including special populations and comorbidities.
  • Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for PTSD
    Explains the theoretical model and session content of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), including a review of effectiveness research among different populations or those with comorbidities.
  • Written Exposure Therapy for PTSD
    Explains the theoretical model and session content of Written Exposure Therapy (WET), including a review of effectiveness research and studies including special populations and comorbidities.
  • Present-Centered Therapy for PTSD
    Explains the theoretical model and session content of Present-Centered Therapy (PCT), including a review of effectiveness research and studies including special populations and comorbidities.
  • Treating Survivors in the Acute Aftermath of Traumatic Events
    Describes the complexity of therapy decisions following traumatic events, such as: the nature of events, phases of coping, assessment and evaluation, and intervention information noting specific techniques for acute stress.

Medication

Other Approaches

Treatment Engagement and Enhancement

Mobile apps and self-help tools

  • CPT Coach
    A treatment companion mobile app to be used by patients and their mental health provider during Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). CPT Coach is not a self-help tool.
  • PE Coach
    A treatment companion mobile app to be used by patients and their mental health provider during Prolonged Exposure (PE). PE Coach may help with adherence to the treatment manual.
  • PTSD Coach Online: Self-Help and Coping for Clients
    Learn how to use this web-based self-help resource offering 17 tools to address stress-related symptoms and enhance problems skills as a supplement to treatment or to reinforce patient skill development post-treatment.

You May Also Be Interested In

A stack of documents

VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD (2023)

Get information on evidence-based treatment recommendations for PTSD.

A doctor handing a prescription.

Clinician's Guide to Medications for PTSD

Get key information and guidance on the best medications for PTSD.

Are you treating Veterans with PTSD? We can help. PTSD Consultation Program for providers who treat veterans.

PTSD Consultation Program

Expert guidance for treating Veterans with PTSD.

PTSD Information Voice Mail: (802) 296-6300
Email: ncptsd@va.gov
Also see: VA Mental Health