Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (CPT)

What is CPT?

CPT has been around for more than 25 years and there are extensive data on its efficacy with a variety of client groups. CPT is a specific type of cognitive behavioural therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD that have developed after experiencing a variety of traumatic events including child abuse, work-place bullying, combat, rape and natural disasters. In addition to PTSD, most individuals meet criteria for multiple comorbid diagnoses, such as depressive disorders, anxiety disorders, personality and sub-stance use disorders.

CPT is generally delivered over 12 sessions and helps clients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. In so doing, the client creates a new understanding and conceptualization of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life

This treatment is strongly recommended for the treatment of PTSD.

What are CPT therapy sessions like?

During trauma treatment, individuals who have lived through trauma are faced with the task of challenging their cognitive distortions. This means identifying which types of distortions may be taking over their thoughts. And, learning about and practicing how to overcome and change these ways of thinking. This can help individuals be able to think about their lives and the outcomes of their daily tasks positively. Thus, enabling them to start creating positive memories and heal from their traumatic pasts.

Examples of cognitive distortions include:

Personalizing: This type of cognitive distortion includes thinking patterns that revolve around the self. For example, taking the blame for things that may not have been one’s fault. Personalization involves taking things personally even if they aren’t personal at all.

Overgeneralizing: This type of thinking revolves around generalizing outcomes from things that occur that may not be true. For example, experiencing one negative intimate relationship and determining that one cannot be loved as a result.

Polarization: This type of cognition involves seeing things in two ways: good and bad. For these people, there are only winners and losers – no in between. So, if something they attempt doesn’t go 100% perfect for example, they may believe that they are a failure.

Catastrophizing: This type of thinking involves thinking only the worst outcome is possible. So, those experiencing this type of thinking may avoid challenges or keep goals because they only assume the worst will happen.

Individuals with PTSD may also experience intense feelings related to their experience that last long after the traumatic event has ended. They may relive the event through flashbacks or nightmares; they may feel sadness, fear, guilt and anger; and they may feel detached or estranged from other people. These feelings are being resolved in therapy by means of a the strategy of Effective Emotion Regulation