Post-traumatic stress disorder is incredibly common among veterans who have combat experience. Many combat veterans struggle to make sense of their experience and have difficulty processing their trauma from experiencing war firsthand. It is common for people with trauma to avoid discussing it. Avoidance may feel like it helps in certain ways, but unprocessed trauma is liable to cause numerous issues. Cognitive processing therapy for veterans is a method of treatment that confronts trauma head-on and gets people talking about what they went through and the impact it had on them.
Find high-quality cognitive processing therapy providers when you call AssuraSource at 972.233.1010.
The Foundations of Cognitive Processing Therapy
Cognitive processing therapy (CTP) for veterans is grounded in a belief that post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) appears when something blocks trauma from being processed effectively by the brain. A veterans’ beliefs about their trauma and themselves in light of their trauma play key roles in how they experience PTSD. Cognitive processing therapy for veterans is designed to educate people on how to view their thoughts and even alter their patterns of thinking to support healing.
Cognitive processing therapy for PTSD can be delivered through individual or group therapy sessions. A round of treatment lasts twelve weeks, with weekly sessions coming in at approximately one hour. CPT is often matched with other treatment methods like cognitive-behavioral therapy and exposure therapy. Moreover, medications are often used as a secondary treatment method. Some common options for veterans struggling with PTSD are Zoloft, Prozac, and Effexor.
The goals of CPT are threefold: reflecting, redefining, and recovering.
The Goals of CPT
The reflecting goal involves deepening your understanding of PTSD and how it impacts your mind and body. During CPT, you will examine how trauma manifests in thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Reflecting can also decrease avoidance and help people experience positive emotions as their brain processes trauma and moves forward.
The redefining goal is predicated on skill development related to thinking and evaluation. Many times, veterans and other trauma survivors have developed negative self-beliefs stemming from their trauma. They may come to believe they deserve what happened to them or that their PTSD is a just reward for having survived while others didn’t. CPT helps people redefine how they analyze themselves and their trauma.
Lastly, recovering is the process of healing. Trauma often brings many unwanted symptoms. Potential symptoms that veterans with PTSD will experience include:
- Panic attacks
- Depression
- Anger
- Insomnia
- Anxiety
- Flashbacks
The hoped-for outcomes of a round of CPT for post-traumatic stress disorder include reduced distress stemming from past trauma and improved daily functioning and quality of life.
Explore Cognitive Processing Therapy for Veterans at AssuraSource
AssuraSource offers CPT for veterans in Dallas, TX. Our programming is delivered virtually or through in-home visits. Client comfort and accessibility are our priorities. CPT for veterans in Dallas, TX, is designed to help people overcome their trauma and live life to the fullest. Trauma, especially when it manifests as PTSD, often holds people back. It creates physical and mental health issues when it goes unaddressed.
Experiencing CPT for veterans in Dallas, TX, at AssuraSource means engaging the past to create a better future. Veterans partaking in CPT for post-traumatic stress disorder can expect to write about, discuss, and dig into their trauma. While intimidating and often challenging, confronting trauma is necessary to produce healing.
Everyone deserves to heal from their trauma. Don’t let pride or fear get in the way of healing. Find out how cognitive processing therapy for PTSD can benefit you or a loved one by contacting 972.233.1010.