What is PTSD?
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental health condition caused by exposure to an extremely stressful event. Symptoms may include nightmares and intrusive thoughts, avoidance of trauma memory and reminders, unhelpful thoughts about the event, and feeling on edge or easily startled.
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Knowing when to seek help
We're Here to Help
Patients work with their provider to select the PTSD treatment that best fits their needs.
Decisions about switching or ending treatment are based on patient progress on symptom measures and clinician judgment. We use measurement-based care to hold ourselves accountable for helping patients reach their individualized treatment goals.
Contact us at restore@bmc.org to learn more about how to access our clinical services.
Recovery after Trauma
Although many people recover on their own after experiencing a trauma event, some get stalled in their recovery and go on to develop PTSD. PTSD-specific treatment can get people back on the path to natural recovery.
PTSD Treatments
The RESTORE Center supports the delivery of treatments shown to be effective based on research, also known as evidence-based treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in routine care. We support PTSD treatments provided in outpatient psychiatry, primary care and obstetrics clinics at Boston Medical Center.
Treatments We Support
Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees (TST-R)
TST-R is a trauma-based therapy that helps children and adolescent as well as their families learn skills in self-regulation, increasing their social support networks, minimizing stress related to cultural changes and foster trust between the helping community and the family.
8-20 Sessions
Primary Care Intervention for PTSD (PCIP)
PCIP is a brief, low-intensity treatment designed for adolescents with PTSD. PCIP can be delivered in pediatric primary care settings. The therapy focuses on psychoeducation and positive coping strategies.
3 Sessions
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)
Trauma–focused cognitive behavioral therapy is evidence–based treatment approach to help children, adolescents and their families overcome trauma–related difficulties, designed to reduce negative emotional and behavioral responses.
12-16 Sessions
Web Administered Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation (WebSTAIR)
WebSTAIR is a web-administered self-paced version of Brief STAIR that is available in English and Spanish. WebSTAIR teaches skills to manage emotions and improve relationships. The program includes interactive exercises, worksheets, and audio and video components.
10 Mini-modules
Brief Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation
(Brief STAIR)
Brief STAIR is a coping skill-based treatment tailored to the needs of each patient that teaches skills to manage emotions and improve social and relationship effectiveness. This treatment does not require recounting of the trauma memory.
5 Sessions (Coping Skills Only)
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the intensity of emotion associated with the trauma memories.
6-12 Sessions
Prolonged Exposure (PE)
PE is a type of cognitive behavioral therapy that teaches individuals to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and cues (e.g., places, situations) to reduce emotional intensity and distress associated with these cues.
8-16 Sessions
Written Exposure Therapy (WET)
WET is an effective brief treatment in which patients write about their target trauma memory during session, helping process emotions related to trauma and create meaning of the event.
5-6 Sessions
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
EMDR is a structured therapy that encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the intensity of emotion associated with the trauma memories.
6-12 Sessions
Brief Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation
(Brief STAIR)
Brief STAIR is a coping skill-based treatment tailored to the needs of each patient that teaches skills to manage emotions and improve social and relationship effectiveness. This treatment does not require recounting of the trauma memory.
5 Sessions (Coping Skills Only)
Web Administered Skills Training in Affective & Interpersonal Regulation (WebSTAIR)
WebSTAIR is a web-administered self-paced version of Brief STAIR that is available in English and Spanish. WebSTAIR teaches skills to manage emotions and improve relationships. The program includes interactive exercises, worksheets, and audio and video components.
10 Mini-modules
Primary Care Intervention for PTSD (PCIP)
PCIP is a brief, low-intensity treatment designed for adolescents with PTSD. PCIP can be delivered in pediatric primary care settings. The therapy focuses on psychoeducation and positive coping strategies.
3 Sessions
Trauma Systems Therapy for Refugees (TST-R)
TST-R is a trauma-based therapy that helps children and adolescent as well as their families learn skills in self-regulation, increasing their social support networks, minimizing stress related to cultural changes and foster trust between the helping community and the family.
8-20 Sessions
Treatments We Support
What to consider when picking a treatment
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