PROLONGED TRAUMA EXPOSURE THERAPY FOR POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
By Team PCPA
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) can be a chronic and severely debilitating condition, with profound negative impact on quality of life. Prolonged Trauma Exposure Therapy (PE) is an evidence-based form of cognitive-behavioral therapy developed specifically for the treatment of PTSD. PE works by helping individuals realize that while experiencing traumatic event is scary and dangerous, trauma-related memories and cues are not, and do not need to be avoided. PE is endorsed by both the American Psychiatric Association and the Department of Veterans Affairs and Defense as evidence-based, time-limited and highly efficacious treatment for chronic PTSD and related depression, anxiety, and anger. PE is offered by therapists at all PCPA locations.
Most people want to avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma they experienced, but we find that doing so only reinforces their fear, and extends the suffering. Other counselors may tell you that you need to follow obscure and seemingly unrelated procedures such as moving your eyes rapidly, using magnets, hot stones or activating "pressure points" on your body in order to cope with PTSD. The same counselors may tell you that your PTSD is lifelong and untreatable. However, we find that such procedures and attitude may actually reinforce avoidance. In reality, engaging in gradual, prolonged exposure in the safety of the clinic and your own home, several times per week, for 8 to 15 weeks allows for the effective and lasting treatment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
PE begins with an overview of treatment and the therapist gathering information about the patient’s traumatic experiences. Treatment continues with psychoeducation about exposure and then will typically include the teaching of a relaxation technique such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or visualization, to help you manage anxiety in the short run.
Generally, after the assessment and initial session, exposure begins. As this is very anxiety-provoking for most patients, the therapist works hard to ensure that the therapy relationship is perceived to be a safe space for encountering very scary stimuli. Both imaginal and in vivo exposure are utilized with the pace dictated by the patient. Both types of exposure exercises are set up in a graduated fashion, allowing the patient to not be completely paralyzed and overwhelmed by the feared stimuli.
Imaginal exposure occurs in session with the patient describing the traumatic event in detail in the present tense with guidance from the therapist. These recollections may initially be very brief (several sentences long), and grow in length as the patient becomes desensitized to the stress associated with the traumatic experience. The patient is recorded while recalling their trauma so that they can listen to the recording between appointments, further confronting their experience and experiencing decreasing amount of stress associated with it.
In vivo exposure, includes confronting feared stimuli and situations outside of therapy. In vivo exposure is typically assigned as a homework, but may at times be practiced together with the therapist on a "field trip" outside of the clinic if circumstances are deemed safe and appropriate. The therapist and patient together identify a range of possible stimuli and situations connected to the traumatic fear, such as specific places or people. They agree on which stimuli to confront as part of in vivo exposure and devise a plan to do so between sessions.
PE instills confidence and a sense of mastery, improves various aspects of daily functioning, increases your ability to cope with future traumatic events, and improves your ability to discriminate between safe and unsafe situations.
Call or email today to find out more about PE and the other services we provide at PCPA!
Most people want to avoid anything that reminds them of the trauma they experienced, but we find that doing so only reinforces their fear, and extends the suffering. Other counselors may tell you that you need to follow obscure and seemingly unrelated procedures such as moving your eyes rapidly, using magnets, hot stones or activating "pressure points" on your body in order to cope with PTSD. The same counselors may tell you that your PTSD is lifelong and untreatable. However, we find that such procedures and attitude may actually reinforce avoidance. In reality, engaging in gradual, prolonged exposure in the safety of the clinic and your own home, several times per week, for 8 to 15 weeks allows for the effective and lasting treatment of symptoms of post-traumatic stress.
PE begins with an overview of treatment and the therapist gathering information about the patient’s traumatic experiences. Treatment continues with psychoeducation about exposure and then will typically include the teaching of a relaxation technique such as deep breathing, progressive muscle relaxation or visualization, to help you manage anxiety in the short run.
Generally, after the assessment and initial session, exposure begins. As this is very anxiety-provoking for most patients, the therapist works hard to ensure that the therapy relationship is perceived to be a safe space for encountering very scary stimuli. Both imaginal and in vivo exposure are utilized with the pace dictated by the patient. Both types of exposure exercises are set up in a graduated fashion, allowing the patient to not be completely paralyzed and overwhelmed by the feared stimuli.
Imaginal exposure occurs in session with the patient describing the traumatic event in detail in the present tense with guidance from the therapist. These recollections may initially be very brief (several sentences long), and grow in length as the patient becomes desensitized to the stress associated with the traumatic experience. The patient is recorded while recalling their trauma so that they can listen to the recording between appointments, further confronting their experience and experiencing decreasing amount of stress associated with it.
In vivo exposure, includes confronting feared stimuli and situations outside of therapy. In vivo exposure is typically assigned as a homework, but may at times be practiced together with the therapist on a "field trip" outside of the clinic if circumstances are deemed safe and appropriate. The therapist and patient together identify a range of possible stimuli and situations connected to the traumatic fear, such as specific places or people. They agree on which stimuli to confront as part of in vivo exposure and devise a plan to do so between sessions.
PE instills confidence and a sense of mastery, improves various aspects of daily functioning, increases your ability to cope with future traumatic events, and improves your ability to discriminate between safe and unsafe situations.
Call or email today to find out more about PE and the other services we provide at PCPA!
