What is Cognitive Processing Therapy?
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a specialized form of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) designed to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) . This evidence-based treatment helps you process and manage the effects of severe traumatic experiences. CPT is often a short-term treatment, typically completed in 12 structured sessions.
The goal of CPT is to help you challenge and reframe unhelpful thoughts related to trauma, so that you are in control of how the event affects your life. By learning how to address these negative thinking patterns, you can reduce PTSD symptoms and improve your overall quality of life.
How Does Trauma Affect Thinking?
Following a traumatic event, people with PTSD may develop altered beliefs, often referred to as stuck points. These stuck points are problematic beliefs that can impact multiple aspects of life:
- Safety: Doubting one’s ability to protect themselves or others.
- Trust: Questioning the judgment of oneself or others.
- Control: Feeling powerless to control outcomes or the actions of others.
- Esteem: Seeing oneself or others as “less than” or fundamentally changed.
- Intimacy: Struggling to get close to others or to feel accepted.
CPT works to address these stuck points, helping you shift your perspective and challenge maladaptive thoughts that prevent healing.
Who Can Benefit from CPT?
Cognitive Processing Therapy is an effective treatment option for adults and older adolescents who have been diagnosed with PTSD. It is particularly beneficial for individuals who experience high exposure to traumatic events, such as:
- Military personnel and veterans
- First responders (e.g., firefighters, police officers, EMTs)
- Survivors of abuse, violence, or accidents
If you or someone you know is struggling with PTSD, CPT offers a structured and supportive pathway to recovery.
What to Expect During CPT
A full course of CPT typically involves 12 weekly sessions, with each session lasting between 60 to 90 minutes. While individual experiences may vary, here is what you can generally expect:
1. Psychoeducation (Initial Sessions):
The first few sessions focus on understanding PTSD and how it affects thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. You will learn about the goals of treatment and begin to identify trauma-related stuck points.
2. Identifying and Challenging Thoughts (Subsequent Sessions):
Working closely with a therapist, you will explore how the trauma has impacted your beliefs about safety, trust, control, esteem, and intimacy.
3. Written Exercises:
You may be asked to write about specific traumatic events. This exercise helps you confront your experiences in a safe, supportive environment while processing emotions and identifying problematic thought patterns.
4. Emotional Processing:
CPT can be emotionally intense as you work through your experiences, but this emotional engagement is a key part of the healing process.
Throughout the treatment, you develop skills to challenge and reframe unhelpful thoughts, leading to a healthier outlook and greater emotional resilience.
Why Choose Cognitive Processing Therapy?
CPT is an effective and well-researched treatment for PTSD, offering clear, structured steps toward recovery. By addressing the negative beliefs that trauma often leaves behind, CPT empowers you to reclaim your life, relationships, and sense of purpose.
If you’re ready to take the next step toward healing, our team of experienced therapists is here to guide and support you.
Speak with a Cognitive Processing Therapy Specialist in Toronto.
Our highly trained Toronto therapists are ready and able to help you through the process at every step of the way. Whether you’re just beginning your therapy journey or looking for specialized support, contact us to get in touch with our therapists in Toronto that specializes in Cognitive Processing Therapy.
Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre (CITC) offers in-person therapy in Toronto and virtual sessions across Ontario. If you’re unsure about how to get started or have questions about therapy, contact us anytime.
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