ACT centers around the idea of embracing the full range of emotions, distancing yourself from your thoughts and reactions, and using mindfulness to reconnect to the present moment. This modality can be used alone or in combination with other techniques.

I highly recommend reading “The Happiness Trap” by Russ Harris.

CBT is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on patterns of thinking and the ways they influence behavior.

Cognitive Processing Therapy is a specific type of cognitive-behavioral therapy which aims to reduce the symptoms of PTSD. This treatment is manualized and can usually be delivered over the course of 12 sessions.

These interventions can help people reconnect to the present moment and with their physical bodies. Breathing exercises, body scans, meditation, and sensory exercises can all be incorporated into other treatment modalities and practiced outside the therapy session.

These techniques often help people separate themselves from unhelpful or unpleasant thoughts and sensations and are most beneficial when practiced consistently.

Psychodynamic Psychotherapy focuses on changing thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, by exploring their deeper meanings and motivations. This modality is often used with survivors of childhood trauma.

“TSY in particular aims to cultivate awareness of the mind-body connection and to build self-regulation skills to address the ways in which trauma is held in the body” (Emerson, 2015).

I offer this as an adjunctive treatment to emphasize choice and establishing a safe space within your body. Very often in traumatic situations, the option to exercise choice is removed. This practice helps people reconnect with their bodies and practice this idea of choice.