Choosing a trauma therapy
EMDR, CPT or prolonged exposure? Choosing a trauma therapy
Several trauma-focused therapies have strong research support. Knowing how they differ helps you ask for what suits you.
The short answer
Major guidelines, including the U.S. VA/Department of Defense PTSD guideline, the American Psychological Association guideline, the World Health Organization and the UK’s NICE, consistently point to trauma-focused psychotherapies as leading treatments for PTSD. EMDR, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) are three of the best known. No single one is best for everybody; fit, preference and clinician skill matter.
Side by side
| Aspect | EMDR | Cognitive Processing Therapy | Prolonged Exposure |
|---|---|---|---|
| Core idea | Reprocess a memory while paying attention to bilateral stimulation, so it feels less charged | Identify and rework “stuck points”, beliefs about safety, trust, blame and control | Gradually approach memories and avoided situations until fear lessens |
| Talking about details | Usually not required in detail; you hold the memory in mind | Often includes writing or discussing the event and its meaning | Repeatedly recounting the memory aloud is central |
| Homework | None required | Worksheets between sessions | Listening to session recordings and real-life practice |
| Typical course (per VA) | About 3 months of weekly sessions | About 12 weekly sessions | About 8-15 weekly sessions |
Typical courses are general descriptions from VA patient materials; your own plan may be shorter or longer.
Why someone might choose EMDR
- You would rather not describe the event in detail, out loud or in writing.
- Homework is unrealistic around shift work or a demanding job.
- Your distress is anchored to specific memories you can identify.
Why someone might choose something else
- You want a highly structured, worksheet-based approach to change how you think about what happened (CPT).
- Avoidance is the biggest problem and you want to practise facing situations directly (PE).
- You tried EMDR before and it didn’t help, a different approach may be worth discussing.
What Achieve Growth Therapy offers
The practice’s public website lists EMDR, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Solution-Focused Therapy and Schema Therapy among its approaches. It does not specifically list CPT or Prolonged Exposure, so if one of those is important to you, ask during the consultation rather than assuming. The VA’s PTSD Treatment Decision Aid (opens in a new tab) is a good way to clarify your preferences before that conversation.
Next: what online EMDR sessions are like.
See if online EMDR is the right next step
Achieve Growth Therapy offers a free 15-minute consultation. Use the practice's own contact page to pick a time or send a short note. leave out sensitive details until you're talking with the clinician.
Sources
- VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of PTSD and Acute Stress Disorder (opens in a new tab)
- VA National Center for PTSD. PTSD Treatment Decision Aid (opens in a new tab)
- VA National Center for PTSD. EMDR for PTSD (opens in a new tab)
- VA National Center for PTSD. Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD (opens in a new tab)
- VA National Center for PTSD. Prolonged Exposure for PTSD (opens in a new tab)
- American Psychological Association. EMDR (PTSD Clinical Practice Guideline) (opens in a new tab)
- World Health Organization. Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress (opens in a new tab)
- NICE guideline NG116. Post-traumatic stress disorder (opens in a new tab)
- Achieve Growth Therapy, approaches listed by the practice (opens in a new tab)