Treatment for PTSD
What are Some Symptoms of PTSD?
- Intrusive thoughts, memories, dreams and/or flashbacks
- Avoidance of trauma reminders and thoughts and feelings related to the trauma
- Significant changes in thought and/or mood
- Hyperarousal (e.g., irritability, angry outbursts, acting aggressively, being “super alert” or on guard, feeling easily startled, difficulty concentrating, and difficulty sleeping)
How Does DBT Help?
DBT is a comprehensive treatment that assists clients in developing skills to stabilize and reduce symptoms of PTSD. At the start of therapy, clients meet with their therapist and develop an individualized treatment plan. DBT for PTSD involves attending both individual and DBT Skills group sessions. Specifically, during DBT Skills group sessions, clients learn mindfulness, distress tolerance, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills. During DBT individual sessions, clients learn how to apply the skills to their daily lives. The length of treatment depends on the unique treatment needs of each individual client. However, treatment typically lasts six months to one year. To significantly reduce PTSD symptoms, many clients choose to participate in DBT PE trauma therapy.