APA’s Clinical Practice Guideline strongly recommends four interventions for treating posttraumatic stress disorder, and conditionally recommends another four.
The information below about the recommended interventions is intended to provide clinicians with a basic understanding of the specific treatment approach. Clinicians are encouraged to become familiar with each of the different interventions to determine which of these might be consistent with their practice, to develop a plan for additional training and professional development, and to become informed about the range of evidence-based treatment options in order to help patients with decision making and any necessary referrals. The information contained herein is not sufficient to enable one to become proficient in delivering these treatments. Clinicians are encouraged to pursue training opportunities and, to become fully competent in new interventions, receive consultation or supervision while first delivering the intervention.
Four interventions are strongly recommended, all of which are variations of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). The category of CBT encompasses various types and elements of treatment used by cognitive behavioral therapists, while Cognitive Processing Therapy, Cognitive Therapy and Prolonged Exposure are all more specialized treatments that focus on particular aspects of CBT interventions.
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the relationships among thoughts, feelings and behaviors; targets current problems and symptoms; and focuses on changing patterns of behaviors, thoughts and feelings that lead to difficulties in functioning.
Cognitive behavioral therapy notes how changes in any one domain can improve functioning in the other domains. For example, altering a person’s unhelpful thinking can lead to healthier behaviors and improved emotion regulation. It is typically delivered over 12-16 sessions in either individual or group format.