Trauma Therapy in Grand Rapids, MI
Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD Can Transform Your Life
Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD and CPTSD is a short-term therapy that takes 12-sessions. It has been the most effective treatment for PTSD for over 30 years.
Have you experienced a terrifying event that left you feeling shaken, vulnerable, and detached from your normal self? A violent assault, car accident, or other severe trauma can trigger post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) - a mental health condition characterized by intrusive thoughts, intense anxiety, shame and guilt, and avoidance behaviors. PTSD disrupts your fundamental sense of safety, trust, and self-worth.
Those suffering from PTSD and CPTSD often believe the world is completely unsafe and people are untrustworthy. They tend to doubt their own judgment and ability to protect themselves. Feeling out of control, they may emotionally withdraw or compulsively avoid anything associated with the traumatic memory. While avoidance provides temporary relief, it ultimately prevents processing the event in a healthy manner. The individual remains trapped in a cycle of replaying the trauma until confronted with unexpected reminders.
If this cycle sounds familiar, you don't have to remain trapped. I can guide you through trauma treatment with an evidence-based approach to challenging unhelpful belief patterns that emerged in the aftermath of the trauma. CPT will empower you to regain a sense of safety, trust, power, control, and self-worth.
It’s time to heal you and your future, by healing your beliefs from the past.
Schedule a free 15-minute consultation with me—I’ll answer your questions and we can decide if we’re the right fit. I can provide therapy to adults residing in MI and FL.
The Cognitive Processing Therapy Approach
CPT doesn’t require deep discussion about the trauma itself. CPT focuses on correcting the beliefs about yourself and the world, that have emerged from the trauma. It helps you identify and change thoughts keeping you stuck in fear, guilt, anger or other difficult emotions. In our CPT sessions, you develop skills to:
Discuss the trauma openly in a safe environment
Recognize how it has negatively shaped your beliefs about your own capabilities, as well as the world
Pinpoint "stuck points" get in the way of emotional recovery
Replace black & white thinking with more balanced perspectives
For example, you might believe you are at fault for not preventing the traumatic event. In CPT, we'd examine the factual evidence for and against that stance until you reached a more balanced conclusion about your capability and self-worth.
By changing thoughts from the trauma, CPT helps you feel more in control and less afraid. You start viewing yourself as a capable survivor, not just a helpless victim. Feelings of guilt, shame and disconnection can be replaced with self-acceptance.
The goal isn't to forget the trauma, but to process it in a healthier way. CPT gives you tools to cope better instead of avoiding everything. You'll be proud of your resilience!
If you're struggling with PTSD or CPTSD and want to feel safer, stronger and more in control of your life, make an appointment for trauma therapy today. With CPT's proven approach, you can overcome PTSD step-by-step.
Check out my blog to learn more about Trauma Therapy.
FAQ
-
A: PTSD is a diagnosis that is provided to individuals who have experienced actual or threatened death, serious violence, or sexual assault and have the following symptoms:
-Intrusive and stressful thoughts of the experience
-Overwhelming guilt or shame
-Being overly “on guard” or jumpy
-Active avoidance of mental reminders, and/or people, places, and things that remind you of the event
-Trouble concentrating
-Trouble sleeping
-Increase anger and irritation
-Increased risky behavior
I can assess for potential PTSD in a phone consult and confirm at our first scheduled appointment.
-
A: The first 6 sessions are focused on identifying limiting beliefs that keep you stuck in the event(s) and in the past, and then learning to challenge the thoughts to include information your brain has been overlooking. You will be given a brief worksheet to complete daily. There are 168-hours in a week and if you’re only doing an hour of work a week, you won’t see change. The second 6-sessions are focused on healing the areas of your life including your concepts of safety, trust, power/control, esteem, and intimacy.
-
A: CPT includes weekly sessions for 12-weeks. It is a short-term therapy for long-term gain. Some people choose to continue therapy services after CPT is completed because they enjoy the ongoing support.
You can also complete CPT in a 12-day intensive format which can be helpful for people who travel, want to feel better even sooner, and/or can’t commit to 1x/week for 3-months. Learn more on my CPT Intensives page.
-
A: While I can’t make guarantees, I can tell you that I have not yet had anyone complete CPT, and still have symptoms of PTSD afterwards. If you show up weekly and put in the work, you will come out of the fog, and I will help you get there. I have had clients describe themselves after CPT as having a “brain transplant,” realizing they can think and feel more clearly. CPT is also great for people who have tried EMDR before and did not like it or find it helpful.