I want

Treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder

Hannah Akerman, Clinical Social Worker and Therapist, Specializing in the Treatment of Trauma, Loss, and Bereavement
4 September 2025

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a persistent reaction to a traumatic event, manifested by intrusive thoughts, sleep disturbances, and other symptoms. While most people recover naturally from a trauma, some require professional treatment to prevent a deterioration to post-trauma.

Currently, numerous approaches and treatment methods exist for individuals experiencing post-trauma. The principal treatment methods include:

  • Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT): Focuses on changing thinking and behavioral patterns.
  • Mind-body approach: Focuses on the body and the emotional and sensory experience.
  • Psychodynamic therapy: Focuses on deeply processing the traumatic experience.
  • Drug therapy: Used to relieve specific symptoms.
  • Integrative approach: Integrates several treatment methods.

Additionally, there are complementary treatments, including alternative medicine and spiritual care.

It is important to remember that the treatment is personalized and aims to achieve balance, stability, and functionality. Early referral for treatment enhances the likelihood of recovery.

Most individuals who experienced traumatic events will usually recover naturally over the first months of the event. In other words, they will experience a gradual decrease in symptoms while adapting and returning to normal functioning. However, among 3% to 30% of individuals, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) may develop – a persisting reaction lasting over a month. Symptoms may include intrusive thoughts, nightmares and flashbacks from the event, sleep disturbances, etc. The prevalence rate varies according to the type of trauma, personal characteristics, and socio-cultural context.

Post trauma touches all aspects of life, significantly affecting not only the patients but also the people surrounding them, from family, friends, and acquaintances, to work managers and colleagues. For this reason, it is imperative to provide appropriate treatment aimed at improving the well-being of both the patients and their surroundings.

In cases of traumatic events or experiences, it is essential to bear in mind that the timing of initiating the treatment is of great importance. The earlier the treatment is initiated, ideally within the first year or even during the acute phase of Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), the greater the likelihood of preventing the progression from ASD to post-traumatic stress disorder.
It is crucial to remember that seeking help and treatment is always relevant and effective even years after the traumatic event. If you are experiencing distress, you do not have to face it alone. The therapeutic process can be highly beneficial at any stage in alleviating symptoms.

Frequent therapeutic methods

Professionals who provide therapy for PTSD possess an extensive and integrated knowledge. Throughout the treatment process, they combine a variety of perceptions, approaches, and tools, tailored to the unique needs of each patient, and establish the optimal support layout. A variety of approaches and therapeutic methods are available for individuals experiencing PTSD. These are the main methods:

Treatment through prolonged exposure (PE)

This method, developed by the psychologist Edna Foa, PhD and adopted by the American army for treating soldiers and veterans, is based on short-term treatment protocols, which involve controlled exposure to memories and stimuli related to the traumatic event. This exposure, which is conducted in a safe and supportive environment, gradually diminishes the intensity of the emotional distress and fosters learning through the processing of the experience.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

This method was developed by Francine Shapiro, PhD, who discovered that side-to-side eye movement, tapping on the shoulders, or listening to alternating music in both ears can diminish the intensity of distressing memories. This method is based on the assumption that a traumatic memory remains “frozen,” as an unprocessed memory that does not allow adaptive processing and therefore negatively impacts a person’s life. Consequently, the treatment aims to process the traumatic memory, reducing negative thoughts and sensations while strengthening positive ones. bilateral stimulation activates different parts of the brain, creating new neural connections, and as a result, facilitating emotional regulation.

Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT)

This approach, developed by Dr. Marsha Linehan for treating individuals with Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD), can also be beneficial for those experiencing difficulties with emotional regulation. The method aims to support patients in living more rewarding lives in both the personal and interpersonal contexts, including those who experience post-trauma. This method integrates individual and group therapy to assist patients in developing tools for emotional regulation, improving relationships, and reducing self-destructive behaviors. The principles of the method include a combination of acceptance and change: unconditional acceptance of the patient alongside efforts to foster change and improve the quality of life. The method also fosters mindfulness, acceptance of a complex reality, learning emotional regulation skills, collaborative work between the therapist and patient (a collaborative therapeutic approach), and improvement of communication skills.

Somatic Experiencing (SE)

A model developed by Dr. Peter Levin, significantly emphasizes the role of physical experience and how processing of an experience within the body can help alleviate traumatic symptoms and restore physiological balance (Homeostasis). According to this model, attempts to process trauma through the emotional or cognitive channels will not necessarily lead to significant relief, and sometimes it may even cause a deterioration. Instead of focusing directly on the traumatic memory, the method aims to focus on the physical sensations that arise when recollecting the traumatic event. The goal is to stabilize the nervous system and release trapped traumatic energy from the body.

Mindfulness

A therapeutic method aimed at fostering present-moment awareness with nonjudgmental observations. Mindfulness helps calm the body and mind in the face of emotional overload, heightened alertness, and overstimulation, common experiences of trauma patients. Through practice and utilizing techniques like meditation or breathing, patients can focus on the present, reducing the tendency to automatically return to traumatic memories and enabling more monitored and self-aware responses.

SEE FAR CBT

This model, developed by Prof. Mooli Lahad and Miki Doron for the treatment of trauma and anxiety disorders, integrates several therapeutic approaches considered highly effective: the Somatic Experiencing (SE), the Fantastic Reality technique (FR), and the Cognitive Behavioral Technique (CBT). The model focuses on constructing a narrative of the traumatic event while enhancing the ability to manage fears and anxieties and rebuilding the patient’s sense of security and self-esteem.

Psychodynamic therapy

This approach aims to achieve an in-depth processing of the traumatic experience and its impact on the individual in the present, in relation to past events and connections with various figures in the patient’s life. The external world is explored in contrast to the patients’ internal world. As part of the therapeutic work, there will be a consideration of interpretations, defense mechanisms, the identification of attachment patterns, unconscious patterns, unconscious content, and repeated patterns within the therapeutic relationship.

Despite active and extensive research, there is currently no specific medication designed specifically for PTSD. Medication is administered according to specific symptoms of a patient and includes anti-anxiety and antidepressant medications. These medications do not treat or cure the disorder itself but rather alleviate the adjoining symptoms. It should be noted that medications are not recommended as a single solution but as a complementary treatment for mental therapy.

The main objective of PTSD therapy is to alleviate stress on multiple levels: mental, physical, and spiritual. Additionally, the manifestations of the disorder vary from person to person, and what works for one person may not work for another.

In recent years, a holistic perception of the individual has become stronger, emphasizing the need for tailored therapy. This can include a variety of approaches, in addition to those discussed previously, including:

  • Complimentary medicine: This category includes shiatsu therapy, reflexology, acupuncture, homeopathic treatments, therapeutic yoga, biofeedback, and similar therapies.
  • Spiritual care: This approach centers on the individual’s spiritual resources, aiming to create an appropriate spiritual space that facilitates deep inner exploration and establishes a connection with purpose and hope.

In summary, today there is a wide range of support options for individuals experiencing PTSD. There are numerous approaches and useful professional tools available. Each individual can choose the treatment that best suits their needs. It is possible to conduct "market research" on the existing therapeutic approaches and choose from among them. It is also possible to rely on a therapist to tailor the suitable therapy, although sometimes it may involve a process of trial and error.

Additionally, it is crucial to remember that with the accumulation of therapeutic knowledge and experience, theories and treatment methods improve and update. All of this, while adapting to life's constant changes and addressing the specific needs of every patient.

The primary objective of therapeutic interventions is to restore balance and stability, enabling individuals to regain functional capacity, achieve renewed control, rebuild trust in themselves and the world, and rediscover meaning, hope, and expectation for a better future.