Comparative Effectiveness of Two Treatments for Veterans With PTSD

Relationally focused treatment that focuses on relationship problems that may be caused or maintained by PTSD symptoms. Consists of 12 individual weekly sessions of 45 to 50 minutes. Includes psycho-education, assessing which relationships (or lack of) are causing problems for the Veteran, and addressing the problem areas identified through specific strategies (e.g. communication analysis, decision analysis, role play). Final 2 sessions focus on consolidating what has been learned, what issues remain, identifying types of relationship triggers that could reactivate symptoms, and addressing feelings about termination.

Aim is to allow Veterans to re-experience traumatic events experienced during military service in a safe and supportive environment, and to re-engage in activities they have been avoiding. 12 individual weekly sessions of 90 minutes. Consists of psychoeducation, breathing retraining, imaginal exposure (repeated imaginal recall of the trauma including sensory details, and associated thoughts and feelings experienced during the trauma), and with trauma, and in vivo exposure (systematically confronting feared and avoided places and activities).