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VA » Health Care » PTSD: National Center for PTSD » Providers » Using the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid with Your Patients

PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Using the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid with Your Patients

The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is an online tool to educate people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) about effective treatment options and encourage them to participate actively in decisions about their care.

This tool offers comprehensive information on evidence-based PTSD treatments identified in the 2023 VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline, including:

Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
Present-Centered Therapy (PCT)

There is also information about other alternative treatments for PTSD. Patients can learn about evidence levels and treatments that are not recommended for PTSD.

Key Features

For providers, there are resources, materials, and answers to questions you may have about using the decision aid. For instance, you can download a brochure or fillable comparison chart that you can tailor to your clinic.

For patients, they can use the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid to:

Learn the basics about each of the featured evidence-based treatments, including what they would be asked to do in the treatment, how long it lasts, and how well it works.
Watch videos of expert clinicians describing each treatment in clear and simple language.
Compare the treatments they like the most in a personalized chart that helps them see how different treatments measure up to one another and to their own preferences.
Find answers to some of the most common questions about PTSD treatment, such as: Can I get PTSD treatment if I am drinking or using drugs? Or, will I have to talk in detail about my trauma?
Get helpful tips on how to work with you to make decisions about their PTSD care.
If someone is new to PTSD treatment, there is information about PTSD and a self-screen.
Print a summary of their treatment goals, preferences, and any questions to share with you to support building a treatment plan.

There is also a section for loved ones looking for information and resources to support someone with PTSD.

Continuing Education Course

See the accredited online course Shared Decision-Making for PTSD. It provides information and a practical model for shared decision-making for PTSD treatment.