Cognitive Processing Therapy
Find Relief and Renewal with Our Evidence Based, Trauma-Focused Approach
Start Your Journey to Healing and Recovery
What is Cognitive Processing Therapy?
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and related conditions. CPT helps individuals process and reframe traumatic experiences, reducing the impact of distressing thoughts and memories. By addressing the cognitive aspects of trauma, CPT enables you to challenge and modify unhelpful beliefs, find relief from symptoms, and reclaim your life.
How CPT Can Help You Heal
☑️ Process and make sense of traumatic experiences
☑️ Identify and challenge distorted thoughts related to trauma
☑️ Reduce the frequency and intensity of PTSD symptoms
☑️ Improve overall functioning and quality of life
☑️ Develop healthier coping strategies and self-beliefs
☑️ Regain a sense of safety, trust, and control
Benefits of Cognitive Processing Therapy
CPT has been extensively researched and proven effective for treating various types of trauma, including:
✓ Combat and military-related trauma
✓ Sexual assault and abuse
✓ Childhood trauma and adverse experiences
✓ Physical assault and domestic violence
✓ Accidents and natural disasters
✓ Medical trauma and life-threatening illness
✓ Traumatic grief and loss
Our Approach to CPT
At Monika Breidenbach Counseling and Stress Management, as a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) trained in trauma treatment, I provide Cognitive Processing Therapy through a structured protocol that includes:
Education on Trauma and PTSD
Understanding how trauma affects the brain and body, and how CPT works to address these impacts.
Identifying Stuck Points
Recognizing unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that maintain trauma symptoms.
Developing Balanced Beliefs
Creating new, more helpful perspectives about yourself, others, and the world.
Processing Trauma Impact
Examining how the traumatic event(s) have affected your thoughts and beliefs.
Challenging Stuck Points
Using structured worksheets and questions to examine and modify problematic thinking patterns.
Addressing Specific Themes
Working through common trauma-related themes like safety, trust, power/control, esteem, and intimacy.
Through this process, you'll gain the tools to process traumatic experiences in a way that reduces symptoms and helps you move forward with greater emotional freedom.
What to Expect in CPT Sessions
Initial Assessment
We'll begin with a thorough assessment of your trauma history and current symptoms. I'll explain how CPT works and what you can expect throughout the treatment process. This phase helps establish safety and build the foundation for effective trauma work while ensuring that CPT is the right approach for your specific needs.
Structured Protocol
CPT typically follows a 12-session protocol, meeting weekly for 50-60 minutes. Each session builds on previous work and includes specific exercises designed to help you process trauma and modify unhelpful thinking patterns. You'll complete practice assignments between sessions to reinforce learning and accelerate progress.
Trauma Processing and Integration
Unlike some trauma therapies, CPT doesn't require you to repeatedly recount traumatic details. Instead, you'll write about the meaning of the event(s) and work through how trauma has affected your beliefs. This cognitive focus helps you develop a new understanding of your experiences and integrate them into your life story in a way that reduces their negative impact.
Frequently Asked Questions About CPT
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No, CPT doesn't require you to repeatedly recount the details of traumatic events. While you will write about the meaning of your trauma and how it affected you, the focus is primarily on identifying and challenging the unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that developed after trauma. This cognitive focus makes CPT more manageable for many people who find it overwhelming to discuss trauma details repeatedly.
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Standard CPT typically involves 12 sessions, though this can be adjusted based on individual needs. Some clients may benefit from additional sessions to address complex or multiple traumas. Most people begin experiencing symptom reduction within the first few weeks of treatment, with continued improvement throughout the course of therapy and beyond as they apply their new skills.
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Yes, CPT differs from other trauma treatments like Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in its approach. While EMDR focuses on processing traumatic memories through bilateral stimulation, CPT emphasizes identifying and changing unhelpful thoughts and beliefs related to trauma. CPT has a more structured cognitive focus with specific worksheets and exercises, whereas EMDR is more experiential. Both are effective evidence-based treatments for trauma, but they work through different mechanisms. The best approach depends on your personal preferences and specific needs.
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Standard CPT typically involves 12 sessions, though this can be adjusted based on individual needs. Some clients may benefit from additional sessions to address complex or multiple traumas. Most people begin experiencing symptom reduction within the first few weeks of treatment, with continued improvement throughout the course of therapy and beyond as they apply their new skills.
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Yes, Cognitive Processing Therapy is covered by the major insurance plans I accept, including Aetna, BlueCross and BlueShield, Cigna and Evernorth, Optum, and UnitedHealthcare UHC | UBH. As an evidence-based treatment specifically designed for PTSD and trauma, CPT is well-recognized by insurance providers. I also offer private pay options and provide superbills for out-of-network benefits. Please contact me to verify your specific coverage for trauma therapy services.
Begin Your CPT Journey Today
Take the first step toward healing from trauma and reclaiming your sense of safety and well-being. Cognitive Processing Therapy offers evidence-based techniques and compassionate support to help you process traumatic experiences and move forward with renewed strength and resilience.