Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) For PTSD
Reclaim your life with cpt
Are you struggling with PTSD?
Do you feel like your life has been negatively altered?
Are you looking to heal, but don’t know where to start?
A closer look at PTSD
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) often develops from either experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event - assaults, accidents, military combat, violence, etc.
The onset of PTSD is often characterized by intense thoughts and feelings related to the traumatic event that was experienced - reliving the event though disturbing nightmares or flashbacks, avoiding situations or people that remind you of the event, reacting negatively to ordinary noise or an accidental touch.
The repercussions of the trauma you experienced can be life altering. It may be months since the traumatic event occurred and you are still experiencing difficulties mentally, physically, socially, emotionally, developmentally, and so on. The sadness, fear, detachment, and anger you are feeling can be debilitating.
The relieving news is that there are now many interventions/treatments to help you heal - Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) being amongst them.
What is Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)?
Cognitive Processing Therapy or CPT is an evidence based treatment for PTSD - focusing on the correlation between your bodily sensations, thoughts, emotions, and behavior. As mentioned above, trauma is capable of changing the way you view yourself and the world - misleading you to believe the world is a dangerous place or that you are to blame for the traumatic event.
CPT is used to relieve you from the never ending cycle that is PTSD. With the goal of teaching you new ways to handle your intrusive thoughts, CPT will incorporate writing to help you learn how to examine whether the facts do or do not support your beliefs about what transpired during the traumatic event.
The goals of CPT are as follows -
Increased understanding of PTSD
Less frequent or reduced distress, emotional numbing, or avoidance regarding memories of the traumatic event
Reduced feelings of depression, anxiety, guilt, shame, general ‘tenseness’
An improved quality of life
What can I expect to happen during CPT sessions?
CPT typically lasts for 12 sessions, in which you can expect the following -
Intro’s. You can think of this phase as a simple introduction. In hopes of giving you a better understanding of the thoughts and emotions you are experiencing, your therapist will share information with you regarding PTSD. In return, you will be asked to share a bit about the trauma(s) you have experienced. This is typically done through writing - sharing a bit about how your trauma has affected you. This part can feel especially overwhelming, but know that you don’t have to share every detail right away!
Identify and challenge. Over the next few sessions, you will be asked to open up a bit more and talk about the unhelpful and negative thoughts surrounding your trauma - this is where both you and your therapist will work together in learning alternate ways of thinking about your traumatic experience. Depending on your therapist you may be asked to complete worksheets at home or write in depth about your traumatic experience - everyone’s experience of trauma is different, so your therapist will make sure to tailor your needs accordingly. They are here to assist with finding the best plan of action that will help you cope with the less than ideal emotions such as anger, guilt, shame, and sadness.
Skills. As you develop new skills to identify and cope with your negative/unhelpful thinking, the next step will be to apply those strategies outside of treatment. Your main priority will be to focus on building safety, strength, control, trust, and self esteem - feeling strong in these areas will aid in your overall wellness and continued growth in the real world.
Am I ready to take the first step?
It’s completely normal to wonder if you are ready for therapy - it’s a huge commitment and can feel very overwhelming. Remember that simply showing up is half the battle. Your therapist is here to empower and support you as you embark on your healing journey.
growgood psychology has a team of therapists that are dedicated to support you during your healing process.
We will create a safe holding space for you to connect your thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. As you embark on your CPT journey, we will help you acquire the skills that will support you in creating a fulfilling life. You can achieve inner peace with our team of therapists. Connect with us now to begin the healing process and embrace growth with our trauma informed therapists!