Evidenced-Based Practices

TF-CBT is an evidence-based treatment for children and adolescents impacted by trauma and their parents or caregivers. It is a components-based treatment model that incorporates trauma-sensitive interventions with cognitive behavioral, family, and humanistic principles and techniques. TF-CBT has proved successful with children and adolescents (ages 3 to 18) who have significant emotional problems (e.g., symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder, fear, anxiety, or depression) related to traumatic life events. It can be used with children and adolescents who have experienced a single trauma or multiple traumas in their lives.

(The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

PCIT is an evidenced-based treatment model with highly specified, step-by-step, live coached sessions with both the parent/caregiver and the child. Parents learn skills through PCIT didactic sessions. Using a transmitter and receiver system, the parent/caregiver is coached in specific skills as he or she interacts in play with the child. Generally, the therapist provides the coaching from behind a one-way mirror. The emphasis is on changing negative parent/caregiver child patterns. 

(The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

CPP is an intervention model for children aged 0-6 who have experienced at least one traumatic event and/or are experiencing mental health, attachment, and/or behavioral problems, including posttraumatic stress disorder. The treatment is based in attachment theory but also integrates psychodynamic, developmental, trauma, social learning, and cognitive behavioral theories. Therapeutic sessions include the child and parent or primary caregiver. The primary goal of CPP is to support and strengthen the relationship between a child and his or her caregiver as a vehicle for restoring the child's cognitive, behavioral, and social functioning. Treatment also focuses on contextual factors that may affect the caregiver-child relationship. 

(The National Child Traumatic Stress Network)

CPT is a specific type of cognitive behavioral therapy that has been effective in reducing symptoms of PTSD that have developed after experiencing a variety of traumatic events including child abuse, combat, rape and natural disasters.

CPT is generally delivered over 12 sessions and helps patients learn how to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs related to the trauma. In so doing, the patient creates a new understanding and conceptualization of the traumatic event so that it reduces its ongoing negative effects on current life.

This treatment is strongly recommended for the treatment of PTSD. 

(American Psychological Association)

EMDR is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences. 

Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. 

(EMDR Institute, Inc.)

The most important type of CBT for OCD is exposure and response prevention (ERP). This strategy of purposefully exposing yourself to things that make you anxious may not sound quite right to you. Maybe it sounds difficult. If you have OCD, you have probably tried to confront your obsessions and anxiety only to see that you become very anxious and fearful. With ERP, the difference is that a trained clinician is working with you to develop a plan for exposure. Then, that therapist coaches you through confronting the situation, leaning into the feelings it provokes, sticking with it, and resisting the urge to engage in compulsive behavior.

(International OCD Foundation)