Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD?
Hello,
I have PTSD and have been in therapy for about 18 months with a psychologist. She recently suggested we start Cognitive Processing Therapy. I was open to it because I want to heal and was hopeful this would help.
Unfortunately, the opposite has happened. I’ve regressed terribly since the start of the therapy. It’s been so triggering and excruciating. I feel constantly awful. My symptoms have escalated again, with substantial increases in nightmares, flashbacks, panic attacks, social isolation, etc.
My psychologist told me this is “good” because maybe my body is confronting the trauma. But it feels like the opposite is true—these activities feel like re-traumatization. My symptoms are substantially worse and I feel myself dissociating more often. I feel less in control of my emotional state and more alone/terrified. Ive been dealing with these PTSD symptoms for years… in my experience they are not signs that something is harmful not helpful.
This week I was even incapable of getting through the scheduled therapy activities because I was so triggered and frozen. I cried the whole session and could barely get a word out. As soon as I I left the appointment I had a panic attack, which rolled into multiple panic attacks throughout the rest of the day. I’ve been crying for days on end.
Does anyone have experience with this therapy that they can share? I’m feeling like this maybe just isn’t the right treatment for me… but I wasn’t sure if anyone had any experience with it being helpful or becoming helpful over time.
Looking forward to your advice/thoughts,
K
@gentleBunny1064 I'm not an expert, and I don't have personal experience of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). From what I've read, though, and from talking to therapists in real life (not here at 7 Cups), your psychologist's approach doesn't seem believable.
The first thing I notice is that 18 months is usually far too long to be in therapy without dramatic improvement. Starting CPT at this point makes it seem like your psychologist is perhaps clutching at straws.
CPT appears to be a rather rigid manualized treatment (that is, performed step-by-step from a treatment manual). I wonder if a more sensitive and flexible approach is what you really need.
So, one possible way forward might be to find a different therapist who is experienced in a different approach. However, I know it can be difficult to find therapists who are genuinely skilled, as opposed to just academically qualified.
EMDR is often said to be a gentler approach for PTSD. And therapy based on an individual formulation might be better for you than manualized treatment. These are things you could ask about if you're considering other therapists.
If you'd like to chat about your situation, feel free to click on my profile picture and message me.
Charlie
Thanks for your thoughtful response, Charlie. I really appreciate it. I do agree with you that this manualized version of treatment doesn’t feel helpful. I’ll have to think about my next steps… sometimes when I feel triggered like this I have a hard time problem solving or seeing a path forward—everything seems complicated. I will likely be in touch in the future—thank you for offering to talk it through with me. ❤️
Wishing you all the best,
K
