Description: Most individuals who have been exposed to a potentially traumatic event, such as sexual assault/abuse, physical assault/abuse, natural disasters, motor vehicle accidents, and combat, are able to recover naturally. Others, however, get “stuck” at some point during the recovery process and develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Understanding how PTSD develops after a trauma and applying evidence-based treatment techniques to reduce or eliminate PTSD symptoms is critical area of competence for clinicians who serve trauma survivors. In this course, you will be introduced to one of the most effective treatments for individuals who have PTSD, called Prolonged Exposure therapy (PE).
Based on the work of Dr. Edna Foa and her colleagues, this course provides an overview of the the theoretical and empirical support for Prolonged Exposure therapy, and introduces the learner to the main treatment techniques used in PE.
Learning Objectives:
- Characterize the psychological theories behind PE as they relate to case conceptualization
- Evaluate the empirical evidence for PE’s effectiveness as it relates to treatment outcomes
- Communicate the main treatment techniques used in PE to inform the clinician’s choice of treatment interventions