MENTAL HEALTH EDUCATION
REMINDER:
It is not the recommendation of Psykhe Incorporated, PLLC to self- diagnose, or diagnose others based on the material presented. The information is meant to be a general guide for those seeking information. Please seek a mental health professional to diagnose any suspected mental health disorders or suspected treatment of ay mental health disorder
Trauma Stressor
According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual , 5th edition, (2013) , a the definition of a trauma stressor is any event (or events) that may cause or threaten death, serious injury, or sexual violence to an individual, a close family member, or close friend.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder:
According to the Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders,5th edition (2013) the diagnostic criteria for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder criteria can be applied to adults, adolescents and children older than 6 years of age who have 1.) have directly experienced the traumatic event,(2.) witnessing, in person, the event(s) as it occurred to others, (4.) experiencing repeated or extreme to aversive details of the traumatic event(s) must have been violent or accidental , it is also noted that exposure through electronic media, television, movies, or pictures, unless the exposure is work related.
Additional criteria and information can be found in The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (2013), in the chapter designated for Trauma and Stressor related disorders (p 271-280).
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, 5th edition (2013) can be found here.
​
According to the American Psychological Association’s “Clinical Practice Guideline for the treatment of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) are two of the recommended treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. (p ES-6, p 4-5 Table 1)
For more information on additional treatments please visit the website below:
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/cognitive-processing-therapy
https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/treatments/cognitive-behavioral-therapy
Cognitive Processing Therapy
The American Psychological Association defines Cognitive Processing (CPT) is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD that have developed after experiencing a variety of traumatic events including child abuse, combat, rape and natural disasters.
CPT is generally delivered over 12 sessions and helps patients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. In so doing, the patient creates a new understanding and conceptualization of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Cognitive behavioral therapy focuses on the relationship among thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, and 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. CBT targets current problems and symptoms and is typically delivered over 12-16 sessions in either individual or group format
CBT has been demonstrated to be effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, and posttraumatic stress disorder. In many studies, CBT has been demonstrated to be as effective as, or more effective than, other forms of psychological therapy or psychiatric medications.