PE Therapy for PTSD (Explained)

FTF will be providing education/explanations on methods of therapy for PTSD.   

One method of PTSD therapy is called Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy.  For some FTF members the experience is explained in the following manner:  

A qualified/licensed psychologist asks the patient to think of memories or passed events that were trauma based and to discuss the events in detail.  In many cases patients will have to try multiple to discuss their experiences due to facing their fears and other thoughts.  If the patient succeeds in re-living the trauma based memory the psychologist might record the conversation and require the patient to listen to his/her conversation daily.  The goal, in plain terms, is to make the memory approachable and processed on the patients mind.  

In many cases trauma based memories cannot be processed in the human mind all at once.  FTF members have deemed this as an effective therapy.

Per VA Website: PE is a psychotherapy for PTSD. It is one specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy. PE teaches you to gradually approach trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations that you have been avoiding since your trauma. By confronting these challenges, you can actually decrease your PTSD symptoms.

Read article link below:

http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/treatment/therapy-med/prolonged-exposure-therapy.asp