Cognitive Processing Therapy

Goals of CPT

  • Improve understanding of PTSD

  • Reduce distress about memories of trauma

  • Decrease emotional numbing (i.e., difficulty feeling feelings) and avoidance of trauma reminders

  • Reduce feelings of being tense or “on edge”

  • Decrease depression, anxiety, guilt or shame

  • Improve day-to-day living

What Happens in CPT?

CPT lasts for 12 therapy sessions (50 minutes each) During which individuals will:

  • Get information on common reactions to trauma

  • Identify and challenge unhelpful thoughts with structured therapy sessions

  • Complete regular out-of-session practice assignments to apply what has been discussed in therapy sessions

Topics Covered During CPT:

  • The meaning of the traumatic event(s)

  • Identification of thoughts and feelings

  • Trust

  • Safety

  • Power and Control

  • Esteem

  • Intimacy

How does CPT Work?

Trauma can profoundly affect how you see yourself and the world, often leading to beliefs that you are to blame for what happened or that the world is unsafe. These beliefs, while understandable, can keep you feeling stuck in your PTSD and prevent you from fully engaging in activities and relationships you once enjoyed. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) offers a compassionate and trauma informed approach to addressing these thoughts. In CPT, you will be gently guided to explore and reframe upsetting thoughts in a way that feels safe and empowering. You’ll learn skills to examine whether your thoughts are supported by the facts and explore alternative perspectives that may be more helpful. Ultimately, CPT helps you build the confidence to decide on perspectives that align with your healing journey, fostering a sense of safety, empowerment, and growth.

Your therapist will being by offering a compassionate overview of the treatment, ensuring you feel informed and supported every step of the way. Together, you will review information about PTSD to help you better understand your symptoms and how they connect to your experiences. While your therapist may ask about the type of trauma you experienced, they will prioritize your emotional safety, and you won’t be expected to share details unless you feel ready.

A key part of the process involves gently exploring how the trauma has affected your life. This might include reflective writing or discussions about your thoughts and feelings. Over time, you and your therapist will work together to address any negative or unhelpful thoughts about the trauma, introducing strategies to consider alternative perspectives that support healing. Worksheets, both in session and at home, will be used as tools to build these skills in a way that feels manageable and constructive.
CPT may include writing about the trauma’s details, but this step is optional and always based on your comfort level. While this can feel challenging your therapist will support you in processing emotions like anger, sadness, or guilt in a safe and controlled way. As therapy progresses, the focus will shift to specific areas of your life impacted by trauma, such as your sense of safety, trust, control, self-esteem, and intimacy. By the end of therapy, the goal is to help you feel more empowered, grounded, and equipped to move forward.

What can I expect in my session?

Start your healing journey with one of our therapist today

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a cognitive-behavioral therapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, and related conditions. PTSD can develop when an individual experiences a traumatic event such as physical or sexual abuse or assault, accidents, threats, military combat, or being a witness to violence or death. CPT focuses on the connections between thoughts, feelings, behavior, and bodily sensations. CPT is an evidenced based therapy which means that it has been proven to be effective through rigorous scientific research.

CPS provides a way to understand why recover from traumatic events is difficult and how symptoms of DPSD affect daily life. The focus is on identifying how traumatic experiences change thoughts and beliefs, and how thoughts influence current feelings and behaviors. An important part of the treatment is addressing ways of thinking that might keep individuals “stuck” and get tin the way of recover from symptoms of PTSD and other problems.