Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a trauma focused approach. Like CBT is based on the notion, that an event is being assessed using core beliefs, triggering automatic thoughts, and evoking emotions, which then fuel behaviors. Core belief are how we see the world, others and self and are formed through life based on our experiences. It is strongly recommended to treat PTSD and complex trauma due to the notion that these traumatic experiences are at the core of forming unhelpful beliefs interfering with the individuals thought process and behavior. At the core of CPT is to process the impact the trauma had on core beliefs and current automatic thoughts causing the distress or impairment. As well as to challenge this “automatic thoughts”, while validating the individuals experience and explorer how these are no longer useful to their life to elicit a commitment to modify these thoughts. This approach requires the individual to recall the trauma in detail and identify current automatic thoughts to modify unhelpful thoughts about self, others, and the world.

CPT has been proven to be affective for PTSD and other trauma related issues.