PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for PTSD

Available en Español

What type of treatment is this?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an individual our group therapy for PTSD in which you will learn ways to evaluate and change the upsetting thoughts about your trauma.

How does it work?

Trauma can change the way you think about yourself and the world. You may believe you are to blame for what happened or that the world is a dangerous place. These kinds of thoughts keep you stuck in your PTSD and cause you to miss out on things you used to enjoy. In CPT, you will learn skills that can help you decide whether there are more helpful ways to think about your trauma. You will learn how to examine whether the facts support your thought or do not support your thought. And ultimately, you can decide whether or not it makes sense to take a new perspective.

Video

How does CPT work?

Hear providers explain how CPT may help you learn new ways to think about yourself and your trauma.

What can I expect?

Your provider will start off by giving you an overview of PTSD and the treatment. Your provider probably will ask about the type of trauma you experienced, but you will not need to go into great detail right away. Your provider will also ask you to write about how the trauma has affected you. Over the next several sessions, you will talk about any negative or unhelpful thoughts you have been having about the trauma, and you will work together to consider other ways of thinking about the situation. You will use worksheets in session and at home that help you learn this strategy. CPT can also include writing about the details of the trauma if you decide with your therapist that it would be helpful. This may sound difficult at first, but you may be more able to cope with emotions like anger, sadness. and guilt by talking them over with your therapist. Toward the end of therapy, you and your therapist will focus on some specific areas of your life that may have been affected by the trauma, including your sense of safety, trust, control, self-esteem, and intimacy.

Video

What can I expect?

Learn what you’ll be doing in CPT sessions.

Is it effective?

Yes, CPT is one of the most effective types of treatment for PTSD.

Video

Is it effective?

Hear providers describe how CPT helps patients.

How long will treatment last?

CPT usually takes 12 weekly sessions, so treatment lasts about 3 months. Sessions are 60 minutes each for individuals or 90 minutes each for a group. You may start to feel better after a few sessions. And the benefits of CPT often last long after your final session with your provider.

What are the risks?

The risks of doing CPT are mild to moderate discomfort when talking or writing about trauma-related memories or beliefs. These feelings are usually brief and people tend to feel better as they keep doing CPT. Most people who complete CPT find that the benefits outweigh any initial discomfort.

Group or individual?

CPT can be done individually, where you meet one-to-one with a provider. CPT can also be done in a group with 1 or 2 providers and about 6-10 other people who also have PTSD.

Will I talk about my trauma?

In CPT, you will write and talk about your thoughts as to why the trauma happened and how it has affected you, As you talk this through with your provider, you will often discuss what happened and how it changed your thoughts. At around the 3rd session, you will have the option—working with your therapist—of writing the story of your trauma in detail. If you choose this option, you will writ it at home, read it to yourself, and also read it out loud in your next session.

Video

Will I need to talk about my trauma?

Hear more about the focus of your therapy sessions.

Will I have homework?

Yes, you will do some writing and will complete worksheets between sessions. Take-home worksheets help you practice in real life the skills you learn in the therapist's office. Most people find that the more effort and energy they put into these assignments, the more they get out of CPT.

How available is this in VA?

Very. Almost all VA Medical Centers offer CPT in their specialized PTSD programs. Smaller VA facilities that do not offer CPT may be able to use videoconferencing to have you receive CPT from a provider at another location.

Does VA have an app for that?

Yes, CPT Coach is a mobile app that you can use with a provider during CPT. CPT Coach can help you to learn more about CPT and PTSD symptoms and helps you stay organized with worksheets as you complete CPT. CPT Coach is free and can be downloaded on most mobile devices. After your initial download, you will not be required to use any of your personal minutes or data to use the app. This app does not share any information with the VA or your provider. It is up to you if you want to show your provider your information.

How do you choose the best treatment?

Are you trying to figure out which PTSD treatment is best for you? The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is an online tool with more videos and information about Cognitive Processing Therapy and other treatments that work. You can use the decision aid to compare treatment options and make a summary of your treatment goals and preferences to share with your provider. Together, you can work to choose the treatment option that is best for you.