Therapeutic Interventions For PTSD: How To Find Relief From Trauma

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is often misunderstood in popular media and broader society—even though the prevalence of this condition is significant, with six out of every 100 people experiencing PTSD at some point in their lives. If you've experienced any traumatic event, you may be at risk of PTSD. Understanding the symptoms of this condition and the most effective, research-backed therapeutic interventions for PTSD may help you decide how to move forward and reduce the adverse impacts of this condition. 

What is post-traumatic stress disorder? 

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a complex mental illness listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5) in the trauma and stressor-related disorders category. This condition results from experiencing or witnessing a traumatic event. Examples of traumatic experiences might include but are not limited to the following: 

• Physical, emotional, verbal, financial, or sexual abuse

• Neglect as a child 

• Experiencing or witnessing violence 

• War and combat-related events

• Natural disasters

• Experiencing a medical emergency or painful medical procedure 

• Being diagnosed with a terminal illness

• Financial insecurity, poverty, and houselessness

• Divorce 

• Sexual assault

• Gang violence or association

• Terrorist events

• Exposure to distressing or traumatic imagery through a film, photo, or real-life event 

Not everyone who experiences a traumatic event develops PTSD, and what is traumatic for one person might not be for another. Factors like physical and mental health, emotional sensitivity, and family life might play a part in whether someone develops post-traumatic stress disorder. 

What are the primary symptoms of PTSD? 

Symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) can vary, but one or more symptoms must be present in each category within the DSM-5’s PTSD definition for a diagnosis to be considered. The categories include the following: 

1. Experiencing a traumatic event or stressor 

2. Intrusive thoughts or memories, including reliving the event 

3. Avoidance 

4. Cognitive and mood symptoms

5. Reactivity and arousal symptoms 

Within these categories are symptoms like the following: 

• Flashbacks (intrusive memories that cause a person to relive the event cognitively and potentially somatically) 

• Anxiety and/or depression 

• Hypervigilance of surroundings 

• Being reactive to "triggers" that can set off a traumatic memory

• Dissociation, depersonalization, and/or derealization 

• Rage or irritability 

• Fear of the event occurring again 

• Avoidance of people, places, objects, conversation topics, or other stimuli that remind the individual of the event 

• Frequent difficult thoughts and feelings related to the event 

If someone has experienced more than one trauma, they may fit the criteria for complex PTSD (C-PTSD), which is not an official diagnosis in the DSM-5 but is used by some mental health professionals to describe PTSD caused by repeated and severe childhood and/or long-term trauma. 

Six research-backed therapeutic interventions for PTSD

Although PTSD can cause many functional challenges, it is a treatable and manageable condition, and many people find symptom relief from psychotherapy. Below are a few types of therapy treatments available for PTSD.

1. Cognitive behavioral therapy

CBT may involve talk therapy techniques like roleplay, worksheets, skills mastery, mindfulness, cognitive restructuring, and self-reflection to help clients understand their thoughts and beliefs. After identifying cognitive patterns, the therapist can lead clients toward behavioral changes to meet their treatment goals, whether those goals involve reducing symptoms or having healthier relationships, for example. 

PTSD treatment with CBT may focus on understanding how the traumatic event changed the individual’s perception of daily life, themselves, and the people they love. Understanding these changes and noticing that they are new and can be changed may benefit someone with this condition. In addition, other forms of CBT, like exposure therapy or prolonged exposure therapy, may be practiced if someone wishes to reduce the amount of anxiety they're experiencing due to their PTSD diagnosis. 

2. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) 

EMDR is a form of therapy based on the concept of bilateral brain stimulation. This type of intervention involves stimulating both sides of the brain simultaneously through light movements, finger tracking, hand buzzers, throwing a ball back and forth between two hands, or other methods developed by EMDR therapists. 

Specifically developed to treat PTSD in veterans, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy may be an effective modality for those looking to address their trauma-related memories through an integrative approach. During the first few sessions, you may outline your traumatic events or discuss them briefly to let the mental health professional know what you'd like to work through. You can then work alongside them to create a treatment plan. 

Your therapist may also ask you to develop a meditation exercise you can go to during eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy sessions if you start to feel intrusive memories or distress arising. This mentally safe space could be a beach, a comfy cabin, or another beautiful location, depending on what makes you feel comforted. Your therapist can help guide you to this location after each eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy session, or when you feel physical symptoms of distress occurring, such as a racing heart or sweaty palms. Research suggests that EMDR may help reduce PTSD symptoms and other trauma-related effects.

Somatic experiencing therapy

Somatic experiencing therapy focuses on how trauma impacts the body. Traumatic events—especially those which occurred during childhood—have been associated with chronic pain, headaches, physical illness, an impaired immune system, and inflammation. Somatic experiencing therapy looks at how these symptoms can be reduced by driving awareness to the body instead of the mind. 

Clients may start identifying bodily sensations with a therapist while discussing traumatic events. Their therapist might ask them which body part they're feeling it in, what it feels like, and what emotion could be associated with it. For instance, emotions like anger can be associated with stomach pain or feelings of heat under the skin. 

Through somatic therapy, clients can learn to identify their emotions and pinpoint where trauma is being held in their bodies. Studies suggest that somatic experiencing therapy may help reduce PTSD symptoms. However, this therapeutic modality is more modern, so further studies may be needed to get a more accurate assessment of its effectiveness.  

3. Internal family systems therapy (IFS) 

Internal family systems therapy (IFS) is an individual therapy often used for those who have gone through childhood trauma. It uses the family systems theory to showcase how individuals function based on their place in the family system they grew up in. Adults may practice IFS by understanding how their personality has developed to cope with trauma. The IFS theory posits that each person has "parts" of their personality. Each part might take on a different role, such as working, defending the family, experiencing emotions, or expressing individuality. 

When a person experiences trauma at any time in their life, the parts might shift and change to cope with the trauma. In IFS, the therapist leads discussions about the different parts of a person's personality and may ask them to investigate how each of these parts serve them. Many people have parts of themselves they feel ashamed about, and IFS can help them learn to accept these parts and see themselves as complete, unique individuals. 

According to research, IFS is associated with a reduction in PTSD symptom severity over time as well as a reduction in depression, dissociation, and dysregulation symptoms. At a one-month follow-up of one study, 92% of participants no longer met the criteria for PTSD. 

4. Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) 

Cognitive processing therapy (CPT) is another PTSD treatment modality focused on addressing adverse events from the past. According to the American Psychological Association (APA), cognitive processing therapy is delivered over 12 sessions and works on exploring and discussing unhelpful trauma-related beliefs. Through cognitive processing therapy, the client may become more aware of their "automatic thoughts" and start to open up more about what happened to them. 

A cognitive processing therapy provider may use several techniques, like motivational interviewing, Socratic questioning, writing exercises, roleplay, and CBT techniques to help the client start to perform self-reflection and understand their thought processes and beliefs. 

5. Psychodrama therapy

Psychodrama therapy is a type of group therapy focused on helping clients physically and emotionally take control of their traumatic memories by acting out conversations, events, and goals in the presence of a group. Although it may seem counterproductive to act out a traumatic event or revisit these memories, some people find it effective in reducing symptoms, as they can restructure what occurred to them in their minds and see the change visually. Results of several studies in 2022 suggest that psychodrama therapy as a treatment of PTSD was associated with a 20–24% reduction in post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms in participants. 

Other therapeutic methods

The above methods are not the only treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder available. Clients may also find symptom relief from the following: 

• Exposure and response prevention therapy (ERP)

• Prolonged exposure therapy (PET)

• Stress inoculation training

• Emotionally focused therapy

• Attachment therapy 

• Tapping therapy

• Dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) 

Ask a qualified mental health care provider for their recommendations on what type of treatment might be right for your specific situation.

Other approaches for treating PTSD 

Again, some form of therapy is usually the first-line treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). That said, medication can be a temporary but possible option for treating some symptoms of PTSD in addition to therapy. For example, some clients may find relief from nightmares or anxiety with the help of medication. It can be essential to consult with your medical provider, like a psychiatrist or primary care physician, before starting, changing, or stopping any medication or medical treatment to avoid potentially dangerous interactions and side effects. 

In addition to receiving professional treatment, there are some techniques you can use at home to try to reduce the impact of your symptoms outside of sessions, including the following: 

• Expressive writing, like journaling 

• Listening to music you relate to 

• Spending time with your pets

• Getting regular exercise

• Spending time in nature

• Eating nutrient-dense foods as often as possible

• Practicing mindfulness 

• Listening to guided meditations 

• Spending quality time with friends and family

• Creating art 

Exploring other therapy formats

While trauma-focused therapy is usually a key component of treatment for PTSD symptoms, in-person treatment is not the only possible format. Sometimes, the symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder can make it difficult to travel to in-person appointments with a therapist. In these cases, you might benefit from online therapy sessions through a platform such as BetterHelp. It allows you to get matched and meet with a licensed therapist who you can meet with from home or anywhere else you have an internet connection.

A growing body of research suggests the effectiveness of online therapy for addressing a range of mental health conditions and concerns. For example, one study looked at cognitive behavioral therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing techniques online, with findings suggesting that they were as effective as in-person methods for treating symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder. Some participants experienced a trauma-related symptom reduction of 55% after treatment. The researchers indicate that online cognitive behavioral therapy can be “significantly more effective in reducing PTSD compared with waitlist controls.”