Moving Forward: New frontiers in treatments for psychological trauma

Abstract

Both the Diagnostic and Statistics Manual (DSM 5), and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) embed PTSD (and complex PTSD in the ICD-11) as categories of mental health disorders. Although these classification tools offer criteria by which patients can be assessed as to whether they meet the criteria for diagnosis of PTSD, or complex PTSD, they are not able to provide guidance on treatment options. This special section of Counselling and Psychotherapy Research showcases three very new approaches to working with psychological trauma. The first paper by Kip and Finnegan introduces Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART), which is a brief intervention protocol that is already demonstrating very promising early results, particularly within the military veterans community of those also experiencing traumatic brain injury (TBI). The second paper by psychiatrists Frank Corrigan and Alistair Hull, demonstrates the ways in which the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM) is an excellent choice of treatment for those suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD). The third paper by Brochmann et al., explores the ways in which therapists can work effectively with groups of people who have experienced psychological trauma. Regarding the impetus of moving forward in tailoring treatments for those experiencing PTSD, the papers presented in this special issue provide a valuable starting point to discussions about treatments best suited for particular sub-populations of PTSD sufferers.