Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

The aim of the treatment is to change the way our brains behave, neurophysiologically-speaking. There are a multitude of trauma reminders – many of which you are not consciously aware – that are encoded with the traumatic event. These reminders can be certain emotions, physical sensations, sensory perceptions, memories, thoughts that were encoded in our psyche. Our reactions to these can spiral out of control and cause significant clinical symptoms and interpersonal dysfunction. CPT, through language and Socratic Dialogue, is designed to turn the frontal lobe back on to put the brakes on our fear. It promotes intentional action rather than habitual reaction. Like this, we can create new and meaningful experiences rather than reliving the past events that dwell in the recesses of our memory and associated networks.

Our YouTube Channel has videos introducing you to CPT:

PTSD is not a condition that is experienced by soldiers who saw combat. It can happen in many contexts including car accidents. In fact, it is said that 12% of PTSD is accounted for by life-threatening traumatic events like car accidents; 30% are due interpersonal-network traumatic experiences like the unexpected death or traumatic event of a loved one and life-threatening illness of a child (Kessler et al., 2014). The chance of getting PTSD in one’s lifetime is estimated to be from 6.2-9.1% (Kessler et al., 2005; Van Ameringen et al., 2008; Koenen et al., 2017; Goldstein et al., 2016). While the majority of those who go on to develop PTSD onset within the first few months after a traumatic event, 25 percent experience a delayed onset after six months or more (Smid et al., 2009).