Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD

Candice M. Monson, PhD, is Professor of Psychology at Toronto Metropolitan University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. A Fellow of the American and Canadian Psychological Associations and the Royal Society of Canada, she is a recipient of the Traumatic Stress Psychologist of the Year Award from the Canadian Psychological Association and the Distinguished Mentorship Award from the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. Dr. Monson is well known for her research on interpersonal factors in traumatization and the development, testing, and dissemination of treatments for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), including cognitive processing therapy and cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD.Steffany J. Fredman, PhD, is Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. Dr. Fredman is a recipient of the Martin S. Wallach Award for Outstanding Doctoral Candidate in Clinical Psychology from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Her clinical and research interests focus on the interpersonal context of individual psychopathology, with an emphasis on PTSD. Dr. Fredman is the codeveloper of cognitive-behavioral conjoint therapy for PTSD and is currently adapting this treatment model for telehealth delivery as a way to increase access to care for traumatized individuals and their significant others.

"PTSD, by definition, affects relationships. Even experienced clinicians will profit from the well-planned and well-researched treatment approach presented in this volume. The manual is incredibly user friendly, taking readers through the ABCs of couple treatment with session-by-session instructions, reproducible handouts, clinical examples, and suggested dialogue. The authors are experts who address all the nuances and co-occurring problems we see with PTSD. This book should be on the shelf of everyone who works with adults with PTSD--they will offer better treatment for it."--Barbara Olasov Rothbaum, PhD, ABPP, Professor of Psychiatry, and Director, Emory Healthcare Veterans Program and Trauma and Anxiety Recovery Program, Emory University School of Medicine"Monson and Fredman provide an optimistic, strength-based approach to a challenging clinical condition; their focus on interpersonal factors significantly advances treatment of PTSD. The authors’ clinical expertise in engaging patients and their significant others in a clearly defined, empirically supported treatment program shines through in this highly readable and practical work. The richly detailed guidelines for each assessment and treatment session, sample scripts for explaining concepts and methods to the couple, numerous clinical tips for implementing the procedures, and extensive handouts for clients make this one of the most user-friendly treatment manuals I have ever read. Having this volume on your bookshelf is like having wise clinical supervisors on hand."--Norman B. Epstein, PhD, Department of Family Science (Emeritus), University of Maryland, College Park"Monson and Fredman have created an essential resource for clinicians who treat trauma survivors, expanding the frame from individual and group therapy to the key--yet too often overlooked--domain of intimate relationships. The manual provides a complete template for working with couples struggling with PTSD. It addresses critical relational issues (such as blame, closeness, and trust) and shows how to teach clients invaluable practical skills for getting not only themselves, but also their relationships, 'unstuck' from PTSD."--Julian D. Ford, PhD, ABPP, Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut Health Center -

• I. Background and Overview of CBCT for PTSD 1. An Introduction to Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD 2. Initial Assessment, Case Conceptualization, and Working with Complex Cases II. CBCT for PTSD Treatment Manual Phase 1. Rationale for Treatment and Education about PTSD and Relationships Session 1. Introduction to Treatment Session 2. Safety Building Phase 2. Satisfaction Enhancement and Undermining Avoidance Session 3. Listening and Approaching Session 4. Sharing Thoughts and Feelings: Emphasis on Feelings Session 5. Sharing Thoughts and Feelings: Emphasis on Thoughts Session 6. Getting U.N.S.T.U.C.K. Session 7. Problem Solving to Shrink PTSD Phase 3. Making Meaning of the Trauma(s) and End of Therapy Session 8. Acceptance Session 9. Blame Session10. Trust Session 11. Control Session 12. Emotional Closeness Session 13. Physical Closeness Session 14. Posttraumatic Growth Session 15. Review and Reinforcement of Treatment Gains