Psychotherapy With Trauma and Stressor-Related Disorders
Disorders resulting from trauma are significantly different from other psychiatric-mental health issues. Unlike disorders such as schizophrenia or major depressive disorder, trauma-related disorders do not occur randomly in the population. Instead, trauma is something that occurs as a result of the lived experience of a traumatic event. According to the National Institute of Mental Health (2017), more than half of the population will experience a traumatic event during their lifetime. Although most people will recover from the trauma on their own, some require therapeutic interventions. While there are medications that can help individuals with trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the foundation of treatment continues to be psychotherapy.
This week, you explore psychotherapy for trauma by assessing a case presentation for clients presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder. You also examine therapies for treating these clients and consider potential outcomes.
Reference: National Institute of Mental Health. (2017). Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd.shtml
Learning Objectives
Students will:
· Explain the neurobiological basis for PTSD
· Apply assessment and diagnostic reasoning skills to clients presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder
· Recommend therapeutic approaches for treating clients presenting with posttraumatic stress disorder
· Analyze the importance of using evidence-based psychotherapy treatments for clients with posttraumatic stress disorder
Learning Resources
Required Readings (click to expand/reduce)
American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://dsm.psychiatryonline.org/doi/book/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425787
· “Culture and Psychiatric Diagnosis”
American Psychiatric Association. (2017). Clinical practice guideline of PTSD. https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. (2014). SAMHSA’s concept of trauma and guidance for a trauma-informed approach. https://ncsacw.samhsa.gov/userfiles/files/SAMHSA_Trauma.pdf
Credit: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. SAMHSA’s Concept of Trauma and Guidance for a Trauma-Informed Approach. HHS Publication No. (SMA) 14-4884. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2014.
Tye, S., Van Voorhees, E., Hu, C., & Lineberry, T. (2015). Preclinical perspectives on posttraumatic stress disorder criteria in DSM-5. Harvard Review of Psychiatry, 23(1), 51–58. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4542003/
Credit: Preclinical Perspectives on Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Criteria in DSM-5 by Susannah Tye, PhD, Elizabeth Van Voorhees, PhD, Chunling Hu, MD, PhD, and Timothy Lineberry, MD, in HARVARD REVIEW OF PSYCHIATRY, Vol. 23/Issue 1. Copyright 2015 by ROUTLEDGE. Reprinted by permission of ROUTLEDGE via the Copyright Clearance Center.
Wheeler, K. (Ed.). (2020). Psychotherapy for the advanced practice psychiatric nurse: A how-to guide for evidence-based practice (3rd ed.). Springer Publishing.
· Chapter 3, “Assessment and Diagnosis” (Previously read in Week 2)
· Chapter 7, “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy”
· Chapter 11, “Trauma Resiliency Model Therapy”
· Chapter 15, “Trauma-Informed Medication Management”
· Chapter 17, “Stabilization for Trauma and Dissociation”
· Chapter 18, “Dialectical Behavior Therapy for Complex Trauma”
Required Media (click to expand/reduce)
Grande, T. (2019, August 21). Presentation example: Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkSv_zPH-M4
Gift from Within. (Producer). (2008). PTSD and veterans: A conversation with Dr. Frank Ochberg [Video]. https://go.openathens.net/redirector/waldenu.edu?url=https://video.alexanderstreet.com/wa
