Desensitization and Reprocessing

Desensitization and Reprocessing

The first psychotherapy treatment I will use for this patient with trauma is the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This therapy was developed to resolved symptoms from disturbing and unresolved life experiences like trauma. EMDR is a unique kind of psychotherapy used to eliminate negative emotions linked with traumatic events’ memories by focusing less on the traumatic event but more on the disturbing feelings that derive from the event (Wheeler, 2014). This therapy used approach to address past and present aspect of memories. Francine Shiparo was to first to develop this approach. The Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense clinical practice guideline for PTSD recommends treating PTSD with individual trauma-focused psychotherapy over medications.

Studies have shown that trauma focused therapies can lead to greater outcomes and last longer compared to using just medications (Norman, Hemblen, Schnurr, & Eftekhari, 2018).

Secondly, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) will be utilized both PTSD and alcohol abuse. In his case, he has already lost his home and may soon lose his job due to alcohol, CBT will benefit him. CBT focuses on learning to diminish problematic behaviors linked to substance abuse, in this case, alcohol (Wheeler, 2014)

Another therapy for PTSD or trauma survivors is Prolonged Exposure therapy. In this therapy sessions, the client is required to relates the traumatic event or experience for an hour in the treatment session, and then listens to the audiotape of the session for an hour every day. Exposure therapy also requires in vivo exposure homework in which the client engages in an avoided activity related to the trauma. When this therapy is delivered in an intensive format, it has been shown to be highly effective in the treatment of PTSD (Hendriks, Kleine, Broekman, Hendriks, & Minnen, 2018).