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PTSD Treatments   

The RESTORE Center supports the delivery of 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.   

We're Here to Help

Patients work with their provider to select the PTSD treatment that best fits their needs. 

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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.

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Contact us at restore@bmc.org to learn more about how to access our clinical services. 

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.

Graphic displaying natural trauma recovery vs PTSD

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.

Learn More

Knowing when to seek help 

Treatments We Support

Cognitive Processing Therapy
(CPT)

CPT is an effective type of cognitive behavioral therapy that helps patients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful thoughts related to trauma. CPT does not require a detailed account of the trauma memory.  

12 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 

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

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

What to consider when picking a treatment 

Coming Soon...

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