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-When you have PTSD, or Post Traumatic Stress Disorder,
you may find it difficult to connect
with the people that you love the most.
PTSD can make you feel unsafe or anxious
doing the things you used to do, like attending family events,
going to the beach or the grocery store,
or taking a walk with your children.
-You guys go on without me.
I'm going to stay here.
-PTSD can make it hard to control your memories
about a traumatic event,
or negative feelings about that event,
the world, or even yourself.
You might also struggle to talk about this
with those closest to you.
Has PTSD taken up too much space in your family's life already?
Now there's help for you and your family.
Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy,
or "CBCT," is a PTSD treatment for you
and one of your adult family members to do together.
CBCT is based on the idea that our relationships
are an important resource for recovery
after a traumatic event.
Good relationships offer support, make us stronger,
and help us deal with challenges.
-Hey, how you doing?
-In CBCT, you and your loved one
will join forces to fight against PTSD
and increase your relationship satisfaction and happiness.
What can you expect in Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy?
You, your support person,
and your therapist will meet together for 15 sessions,
which last about 75 minutes each.
Your therapist will teach you and your loved one skills
to communicate better with each other,
resolve conflict, and solve problems as a team.
You'll also consider whether there might be other ways
to think about the traumatic events you experienced.
First, you'll learn about PTSD
and explore how it's affecting your relationship.
Then your therapist will work with you
and your partner to identify step-by-step approaches
to minimize the impact of PTSD
so that you can get back to doing the things
that are the most important to you both.
You won't be asked to talk about the details of your trauma
over and over, but your therapist will ask you
to talk about those difficult events
in your past from a distance, as if from a 10,000-foot view.
In about four months, you and your loved one
can see a significant improvement
in your PTSD symptoms and in your relationship.
-We'll make it work.
-CBCT is evidence-based,
which means that it's been shown to work
in multiple research studies.
CBCT can help active-duty service members, veterans,
and civilians who have experienced trauma
and been diagnosed with PTSD.
Most of the time, therapists work with romantic partners,
but other family members could also get involved.
Your therapy sessions may also be available over the Internet
if that is more convenient for you and your therapist.
CBCT can help you reconnect with your loved ones
and work on your PTSD at the same time.
-Are we still good with this? You okay?
-Yeah, I'm good.
Let's roll, team.
-If Cognitive Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD
sounds like the right treatment for you,
talk to your VA provider to get started.
For more information on other PTSD treatments,
check out the National Center for PTSD website.