, 2010). This is critical because therapeutic alliance has shown to have an impact on how likely a patient is to complete the homework assignments that are seen as a critical component to successful PE therapy (Keller et al
Furthermore, because wartime scenarios are so different from peacetime scenarios, dealing with PTSD in veterans can present special issues. Another issue that can complicate the treatment of PTSD in veterans is the impact that military sexual trauma (MST) can have on the prevalence of PTSD in veterans (Kimmerling et al
In a study of 22 Australian Veterans, researchers found that therapist-assisted internet interventions can be highly successful. A 10-week online PTSD treatment showed comparable results to face-to-face interventions (Klein et al
With the realm of CBT, PE, which some refer to as desensitization, has been the primary way to treat veterans with PTSD. While PE can be effective, recent studies suggest that there may be advantages to alternative therapies, particularly CPT, which includes cognitive and exposure components (Monson et al
EPT "posits that the fear structures of trauma survivors with PTSD include two basic dysfunctional cognitions that underlie the development and maintenance of PTSD. First, the world if completely dangerous…Second, one's self is totally incompetent" (Rauch & Foa, 2006)
field tested group-based exposure therapy (GBET) with a group of 102 veterans suffering from war-related PTSD. The therapy was more frequent and more intensive than traditional one-on-one PE; it was groups of 9 to 11 patients attending 3 hours of group therapy per day twice a week for 16 to 18 weeks (Ready et al
, 2011). In fact, PTSD is unique among psychiatric diagnosis in that it "requires a specific type of event to occur from which the person affected does not recover" (Resick et al
Some practitioners feel that encouraging trauma survivors to relive the trauma is cruel or revictimizing, but this reflects faulty reasoning on the part of the practitioner. "The therapist is not creating new pain, but must access the emotions to assist the patient in emotionally processing the memory so it can become less painful" (Rothbaum & Schwartz, 2002)
Veterans may be concerned that a diagnosis of PTSD, or even Acute Stress Disorder, in their medical record may harm their chances of future promotion, lead to a decision to not be retained, or affect type of discharge received. Some may think that the information obtained if they receive mental health treatment will be shared with their unit commanders, as is sometimes the case in the military (Ruzek et al
Moreover, contrary to myth, patients are not generally unwilling or reluctant to undergo exposure therapy, but are able to recognize that exposure may be necessary to help them move past the traumatic event. The whole thought process behind trauma focused therapy is that by changing thoughts, the therapist can help achieve symptom reduction, and this hypothesis has been verified in a number of studies (Sobel et al
Examining combat veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) who exhibited PTSD, researchers found that patients responded rapidly to PE treatments. In fact, after as few as six sessions, patients showed significant improvements in both depression and PTSD symptoms (Tuerk et al
Examining combat veterans returning from Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) who exhibited PTSD, researchers found that patients responded rapidly to PE treatments. In fact, after as few as six sessions, patients showed significant improvements in both depression and PTSD symptoms (Tuerk et al
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Combat Veterans With Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Although not limited to veterans, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may be the single most significant mental health risk to veterans, particularly to those veterans that have seen combat. PTSD is an anxiety disorder, which occurs after a person has seen or experienced a traumatic event including, but not limited to: assault, domestic abuse, prison stay, rape, terrorism, war, or natural disaster (Vorvick et al
There are adjuncts to CBT that can be helpful for PTSD. "Regular mindfulness practice can lead to a greater present-centered awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance of potentially distressing cognitive and emotional states as well as trauma-related internal and external triggers" (Vujanovic, et al
discovered that veterans from all three groups showed significant improvements in their PTSD symptoms when treated with PE (2012). Moreover, veterans from Vietnam and OEF/OIF showed similar response rates (Yoder et al
PATHS also reduce emotional and behavioral problems because it fosters self-control strategies that would help children cope with stress and frustration. Research on the effectiveness of PATHS shows that children trained on PATHS are more developed in terms with empathy and self-control compared to controlled children (Greenberg, 2006)
Training children on the basic social skills are important for behavioral adjustments and academic success because good behavior facilitates cognitive development. The authors of this article suggest cognitive-behavioral therapy that would help children overcome their negative thoughts (Webster-Stratton, 2004)
" (Wilhelm, 2005) There are many forms of therapy for OCD, such as Desensitization and Exposure, Exposure and Response, Relaxation and Retraining, Cognitive Therapy, and medication (Oltmanns, & Emery, 2010). The problem with some of these therapies (especially the ones using exposure) is the high drop-out rate and reluctance to even go to therapy in the first place; it is often a scary and jarring experience for OCD sufferers to face their fears head-on (Chasson et al
This becomes a vicious cycle known as "thought suppression," which is a way for OCD sufferers to try to stop thinking about intrusive or unwanted thoughts, and a way to suppress the emotions that come along with the thoughts, which ends in ritual and begins again when the thoughts return (Oltmanns, & Emery, 2010). Many of these thoughts have to do with the core beliefs of the sufferer about themselves, for example, someone with OCD may have a core belief that essentially they are a bad person which manifests itself as compulsive symmetry/perfection in his/her environment (Chosak, Marques, Fama, Renaud, & Wilhelm, 2009; Siev, Hubbert, & Chambless, 2010)
), social phobias (crowds, strangers, etc.), and overall generalized anxiety disorder (Oltmanns, & Emery, 2010)