Group therapy and family therapy are forms of psychotherapy used to treat diverse psychological disorders. In group therapy, one or more healthcare providers simultaneously treat multiple patients (Malhotra & Baker, 2021). Meanwhile, as the name suggests, family therapy implies a form of psychotherapy offered to the family by one or more family therapists (Varghese et al., 2020). It is important to note that the aforementioned forms of psychotherapy have underlying principles and guidelines that guide them. This piece of writing will analyze an assigned video and develop an appropriate form of psychotherapy.
Chase is a victim of a traumatic event that has culminated in his current state of post-traumatic stress disorder, as evidenced classically by the narration and presentation of his symptoms shortly after the incident. He exhibits flashbacks, nightmares, repetitive and distressing images or sensations, and physical sensations, such as tingly perception, pain, feeling sick or trembling. Furthermore, his behavioral pattern has since changed, and he is currently isolated and withdrawn. Chase demonstrates a clear picture of emotional numbness and avoidance of places and people that remind him not only of the trauma but also avoid talking to anyone about his experience. He gives an account of overindulgence in substances such as smoking, drinking, and taking some pills to cope with his state.
PTSD is a disabling condition and thus necessitates early diagnosis and initiation of treatment. The treatment of PTSD principally involves psychotherapy as the first line, with or without adjunctive pharmacotherapy (Pagel, 2021). The treatment plan for Chase will, therefore, be as follows: (1) The therapy goals include improving his symptoms, teaching him new skills to cope with, and restoring his self-esteem. (2) First line will be trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, including exposure therapy and cognitive processing therapy (Pagel, 2021).
In addition, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy (EMDR) will also be offered. This has been shown to desensitize the patient and allow him to reprocess traumatic content through bilateral hemispheric stimulation. In their systemic review, Wilson et al. (2018) demonstrated that EMDR had an efficacy of more than 80% when used for treating PTSD. (3) Adjunctive pharmacotherapy with sertraline (a minimum of 12 months if effective), an SSRI approved by the FDA for the treatment of PTSD in adults (Mann & Marwaha, 2022). (4) Strategies for alcohol and smoking cessation and rehabilitation. (5) Finally, the treatment duration for psychotherapy will be weekly sessions for at least 18 to 24 weeks.
Effective treatment of PTSD is complex and multidisciplinary. For Chase, a combination of both individual and group therapy would be effective. For instance, individual therapy will be most important during EMDR as it will enable him to reprocess the incompletely processed and stored memories of the traumatic events. On the other hand, group therapy is essential for PTSD based on its principles, such as installation of hope, interpersonal learning, catharsis, imitative behavior, altruism, development of socializing behaviors, and universality, among others. According to Cowden et al. (2022), these core principles considerably enhance self-esteem, improve symptoms and enable PTSD patients to acquire new ways of coping. Finally, involving his family in the therapy is crucial to obtain social support.
PTSD is a disabling condition that warrants prompt diagnosis and treatment. Trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy and EMDR are the mainstays for treating PTSD, although medications can be used as an adjunct. Psychotherapy for PTSD can be offered as individual or group-based therapy or a combination of both.
Cowden, R. G., Captari, L. E., Chen, Z. J., De Kock, J. H., & Houghtaling, A. (2022). Effectiveness of an intensive experiential group therapy program in promoting mental health and well-being among mass shooting survivors: A practice-based pilot study. Professional Psychology, Research, and Practice, 53(2), 181–191. https://doi.org/10.1037/pro0000443
Malhotra, A., & Baker, J. (2021). Group Therapy. StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK549812/
Mann, S. K., & Marwaha, R. (2022). Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. StatPearls Publishing.
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