Non-Pharmacological Treatment of PTSD: Cognitive Behavior Therapy

Definition of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is a widely recognized, evidence-supported form of therapy that aims at changing maladaptive thinking and behavior. CBT works under the assumption that a person’s feelings and actions depend to a significant extent on cognitive distortions and dysfunctional thinking processes. By working with these distortions, CBT enables an individual to develop a new, healthy way of thinking; consequently, symptoms of distress lessen over time (National Institutes of Health, 2022): Non-Pharmacological Treatment of PTSD: Cognitive Behavior Therapy.

CBT is a problem-solving, goal-directed, and timed therapy, and for such a reason, it is a first-choice intervention for PTSD. CBT aims at empowering an individual by training them in invaluable techniques for controlling intrusive thinking, emotion dysregulation, and maladaptive trauma-related behavior.

Description of Treatment

CBT for PTSD takes 12 to 16 sessions, 45 to 60 minutes in duration, with variable session duration based on individual needs and severity of symptoms. It begins with an evaluation period, in which information about trauma background, symptoms, and distortions in thinking is elicited in detail by the clinician. In the period of psychoeducation, information about PTSD, its psychological and physiological impact, and CBT techniques and its rationale are communicated to the patient.

Cognitive restructuring is the next phase of treatment in which patients recognize, challenge, and replace maladaptive thinking with more balanced thinking (Nakao et al., 2021). Exposure therapy, a key part, involves working with trauma-related memories and experiences hierarchically in a safe environment in an attempt to stop avoidance and desensitize reactivity to them. Besides, behavior therapies such as training in relaxation, awareness, and problem-solving skills are included in an attempt to build compelling emotion and problem-solving skills and strategies for managing them.

Conditions Benefiting from CBT

CBT is effective in treating PTSD and a variety of psychological ailments. CBT is broadly applied in treating anxiety ailments such as panic disorder, general anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder. CBT is an effective intervention for major depressive disorder, and it treats depressive symptoms by changing the thinking processes responsible for them. Also, CBT treats obsessive-compulsive disorder effectively through inhibition of compulsive behavior and mastery over intrusive thinking (Nakao et al., 2021).

CBT is applied for personality ailments, namely for borderline personality disorder, in controlling feelings and improving interpersonal relationships. Substance use disorder is aided through CBT by managing cognitive distortions responsible for addiction and providing techniques for preventing relapse. CBT’s malleability makes it a pillar intervention for most mental afflictions aside from PTSD.

Training Required to Deliver CBT

To practice CBT, one must receive specific training in a manner in which proven techniques can effectively be utilized. Clinicians must receive a master’s or doctoral level in social work, psychiatry, nursing, psychology, or counseling. Apart from academic training, a period of practice under supervision in a clinic is a necessity, during which students gain practice in CBT techniques under experienced clinicians’ supervision (Cardona et al., 2021).

Most professionals prefer certification through institutes such as the Academy of Cognitive Therapy (ACT), with requirements such as intensive courses, case evaluation under supervision, and review of therapy sessions. Training and supervision are necessary for updating oneself, as CBT is an emerging field with ongoing studies and clinical improvements.

Providers of Treatment

CBT can be conducted by various mental health professionals, including psychiatrists, psychologists, advanced practice psychiatric nurses, licensed clinical social workers, marriage and family therapists, and licensed professional counselors. All such professionals must receive training in CBT strategies and abide by ethical practices for effective care delivery. Since PTSD is a complex disorder, clinicians providing CBT must have training in trauma-related interventions, cognitive restructuring, and exposure therapy techniques (Mansour et al., 2023). In a multidisciplinary practice, when a group of mental health professionals works together, it positively impacts care effectiveness, most specifically for individuals with co-morbid diagnoses.

Efficacy of Treatment

CBT is one of the most effective therapies for PTSD, with studies estimating that 60% to 80% of subjects report a significant improvement in symptoms post-treatment. CBT has been consistently proven to work at least as well as medication in treating PTSD, with additional value in offering long-term tools for its subjects to manage (Gkintoni et al., 2024).

Unlike drugs, whose efficacy can rely on continuous use, CBT teaches its subjects strategies for altering unhelpful thinking, overcoming fears, and altering unhealthy behavior patterns. CBT works best in minimizing avoidance, intrusion, hyperarousal symptoms, and emotion dysregulation in PTSD. CBT’s structured format is also helpful in providing observable improvement and maintaining therapy-focused and patient-focused.

Use in Future Practice

As a practitioner who provides psychiatric care and diagnostic reasoning, I understand the vast potential of CBT in my practice. With its organized, evidence-based practice, CBT appeals to my desire to practice high-quality mental care. Cognitive restructuring and behavior interventions make CBT a pragmatic and effective tool for regaining mastery over one’s thinking and feelings.

The fact that CBT can target a range of psychological ailments, most prominently PTSD, is a strong demonstration of its worth in trauma therapy (Chand et al., 2023). With its strong empirical basis and efficacy, I will utilize CBT to maximize patient success. CBT certification will make me even more capable of providing thorough, patient-focused therapy for long-term healing and resilience.

References

Cardona, L., Barreto, M., Grodberg, D., & Martin, A. (2021). Cognitive‐behavioral therapy training for multidisciplinary inpatient psychiatric teams: A novel curriculum using animated simulations. Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Nursing, 34(3), 181–190. https://doi.org/10.1111/jcap.12318

Chand, S. P., Kuckel, D. P., & Huecker, M. R. (2023, May 23). Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT). National Library of Medicine; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK470241/

Gkintoni, E., Kourkoutas, E., Yotsidi, V., Stavrou, P. D., & Prinianaki, D. (2024). Clinical efficacy of psychotherapeutic interventions for post-traumatic stress disorder in children and adolescents: A systematic review and analysis. Children, 11(5), 579. https://doi.org/10.3390/children11050579

Mansour, M., Joseph, G. R., Joy, G. K., Khanal, S., Dasireddy, R. R., Menon, A., Mason, I. B., Kataria, J., Patel, T., Modi, S., Mansour, M., Joseph, G. R., Joy, G. K., Khanal, S., Dasireddy, R. R., Menon, A., Mason, I. B., Kataria, J., Patel, T., & Modi, S. (2023). Post-traumatic stress disorder: A narrative review of pharmacological and psychotherapeutic interventions. Cureus, 15(9), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.7759/cureus.44905

Nakao, M., Shirotsuki, K., & Sugaya, N. (2021). Cognitive–behavioral therapy for management of mental health and stress-related disorders: Recent advances in techniques and technologies. BioPsychoSocial Medicine, 15(1), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13030-021-00219-w

National Institutes of Health. (2022, June 2). Cognitive behavioral therapy. National Library of Medicine. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK279297/

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Module Four: Non-pharmacological Treatment of PTSD
In this module two types of nonpharmacological treatment were discussed for clients with PTSD, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT).

Choose either EMDR or CBT

Discuss this type of treatment, what it is, how long it lasts, what is involved during the treatment sessions

What types of conditions can benefit from this treatment type

What type of training is needed to provide this type of therapy

What type of clinicians can provide this type of care

How effective is this type of treatment

Do you see yourself providing this type of treatment in your practice?

Requirements:

• This assignment will be turned in as a word document in APA format
• Include your references
• You will need to submit through Turnitin.

Therapy for PTSD