Psychotherapies for trauma-related disorders: What do they have in common?

In this panel, five pioneers who have developed empirically supported psychotherapies for trauma-related disorders will engage in a conversation about the nature of trauma recovery. Marylène Cloitre (STAIR Narrative Therapy), Thomas Elbert (Narrative Exposure Therapy), Berthold Gersons (Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD), Patricia Resick (Cognitive Processing Therapy), and Francine Shapiro (EMDR Therapy) will explain how they combine psychoeducation, exposure, and cognitive treatment elements. The discussion will focus specifically on adults who had been exposed to childhood trauma, and are suffering from comorbid conditions such as depression, substance abuse, or personality disorders, in addition to PTSD. The panelists will be asked in which way the improvement of emotion regulation skills and the promotion of resilience are addressed in their respective approaches. It is expected that many commonalities will emerge. However, differences will also be identified, e.g., emphasis on fear versus other negative emotions and cognitions, homework assignments, the creation of a consistent narrative. Based on the strengths and weaknesses of trauma treatment to date, the panelists will explore the mechanisms of action that they share. Finally, they will suggest solutions for unresolved problems such as residual symptoms, ongoing impairments in psychosocial functioning, or relapse.

English

Ulrich Schnyder
Marylene Cloitre
Thomas Elbert
Berthold Gersons
Francine Shapiro

Schnyder, U., Cloitre, M., Elbert, T., Gersons, B., Resick, P., & Shapiro, F. (2015, November). Psychotherapies for trauma-related disorders: What do they have in common? Invited panel at the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies 30th Annual Meeting, Miami, FL