During sessions 6 and 7, patients learn to self-challenge, integrating various skills they’ve been developing. This phase includes a check-in on their progress with the “Patterns in Problematic Thinking” worksheet. Subsequently, the “Challenging Beliefs Worksheet” (CBW) is introduced. The importance of completing homework assignments is emphasized, as they act as building blocks for the CBW. This worksheet combines previous exercises, focusing on:
- Identifying the Activating event, Belief, and Consequence (ABC).
- Recognizing patterns of problematic thinking.
- Using challenging questions to contest these beliefs.
- Re-evaluating the belief’s credibility and forming alternative, fact-based statements.
Each session includes practice assignments with trauma-related examples, ensuring patients have a reference point for future exercises.
Specific Trauma-Related Themes in Session 7
Exploring the Safety Theme
Session 7 advances to specific trauma-related themes, particularly how trauma influences perceptions of safety. The session’s goals are:
- Understanding the impact of trauma on safety beliefs.
- Addressing and reformulating unhelpful safety-related beliefs.
Continuous monitoring of the client’s reaction to these exercises is crucial. Clinicians assess the patient’s engagement and address any barriers to treatment adherence, including cultural responsiveness and access to care.
Recommendations and Caveats
Maintaining Protocol Integrity
Clinicians should avoid deviating from the CPT protocol with unscheduled supportive therapy sessions. It’s essential to work with patients who can commit to the treatment’s duration. Key points include:
- The importance of consistent treatment, ideally on a weekly basis, or at least bi-weekly.
- Recognizing that infrequent sessions can double the treatment duration.
- Ensuring regular practice of skills to maintain the treatment’s effectiveness.
A metaphor comparing the treatment to medication dosage is used to emphasize the need of consistent and appropriate engagement in CPT.