Think, Heal, Thrive: The Impact of Cognitive Processing Therapy

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Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy is a game changer for someone with PTSD.

“Practice what you preach!” Over the years, I’ve tried different therapies and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is one of them.

I have Complex PTSD from a childhood trauma that flouished into adulthood.

I was first bullied in my first grade class by the teacher. She would consistently pull me out of my desk by my hair. Soon after that, the bullying started with my peers.

CPT helped me realize that it wasn’t my fault and I didn’t deserve that treatment. Now, I speak my mind if an injustice is being done against me.

It took me a lot of years to say that. I knew deep down what she was doing was wrong, but didn’t speak about it to anyone. So, what is the cognitive processing therapy?

CPT is a type of psychotherapy that helps people with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) learn to change negative thought patterns and develop more balanced perspectives.

CPT is based on the idea that thoughts affect how people feel and act.

Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD

I had CPTSD when I was young and didn’t even know it. It manifested in my adult life into being a people pleaser and not defending myself.

Cognitive processing therapy helped me to see that I was innocent and the teacher shouldn’t have been a teacher.

I often wonder how many other students there are who were affected by her. I bet there are plenty of them. Therefore, I don’t think I’m the only one.

CPT helped me by seeing she was at fault, not me.She was singling me out just to prove a point.

CPT for Complex Trauma

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy is epic.

Complex PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop after experiencing repeated trauma over a long period of time.

I experienced my trauma for 2 years (she held me back a second year).

Symptoms include flashbacks, nightmares, difficulty maintaining relationships, and heightened emotional responses.

CPTSD is closely related to PTSD and borderline personality disorder (BPD).

CPT can help people with CPTSD learn to become their own therapists, using the skills they learn in therapy to continue to unravel stuck points in their thinking.

CPT has been shown to be effective for reducing PTSD symptoms and depression symptoms in a variety of populations.

Cognitive Processing Therapy For Anxiety

CPT has helped with my anxiety also. I don’t feel trapped when I perceive a threat. I’m calm about the situation and deal with it the best that I can.

Although I still get anxious about certain things, I don’t over exaggerate them. And yes, I still get panic attacks, but they are less frequent and easily dispelled.

I’ve used CPT and Exposure Therapy to help me overcome a lot of obstacles in my life. This sounds funny, but I learned how to drive again.

The anxiety was so bad, I was afraid to drive. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I’m no longer a people pleaser. I’m not completetely conceded, but I look out what’s best for me.

Cognitive Processing Therapy for Depression

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy can be implemented for depression also.

As I have noted earlier, I pulled myself out of depression through cognitive processing therapy. My thoughts of despair and that I’ll never get better was keeping me disillusioned.

Therefore, I kept thinking that what I got is what I deserved. That couldn’t be far from the truth. I got it because I kept letting it happen to me.

People walking all over me, stomping on my feelings. I felt like I wasn’t worth the dirt under my feet. Why was I still existing? Then, something magical happened.

I started to believe I didn’t derserve that life before me. I wanted and urned for something better. That’s the spark I was talking about.

Through CPT, I changed my thoughts of feeling worthless, to take action and do something about it. I fought back! Hence I gained respect for myself.

Prolonged Exposure and Cognitive Processing Therapy

Prolonged Exposure (PE) therapy is a type of psychotherapy that helps people woth post-traumatice stress disorder learn to confront trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations.

It helps people learn that memories and reminders of the trauma are not dangerous, and that distress does not last forever.

During PE, you and your therapist will work together to identify activities you’ve been avoiding, and then gradually approach them. There are two types of exposure:

Imaginal exposure: Repeatedly retelling the trauma memory
In vivo exposure: Gradually approaching trauma-related memories, feelings, and situations

In past studies, they both had almost equall amount of results. My therapist tried CPT with me, so I have a preference towards it.

What are the 5 Themes of Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy is immensely.

The five themes of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) are safety, trust, power and control, esteem, and itimacy:

Safety

How safe you feel and how safe you perceive others to be. I didn’t feel safe around myself let alone other people.

I perceived everyone was against me and wanted to hurt me. They were only looking out for their best interests.

Trust

How much you believe in the intentions and dependability of others. Also, trust is another big issue.

I wasn’t rusting anyone because I didn’t even trust myself. It took me a while to move forward on this issue.

Power and Control

The level of influence you feel you have in everyday outcomes. At first, I thought I had no control over anything, even my own life.

Then, I learned to take control of my emotions and then my actions.

Esteem

Your perception of self-worth and self-efficacy. In the beginning, I never had much self-worth of myself because of the bullying.

This was probably the last thing that came into play for me. During my childhood, my self-efficacy was destroyed.

Intimacy

How willing and open you are to engage with and be close to others. Inimacy is my biggest problem. I’m so afraid of being hurt emotionally.

That also goes with trusting people. My trust in other people was zero back then.

But, I learned that I matter in my own mind. Once I got passed that, the flood gates opened. I’ve never done so much “happy” crying then at that point in my life (happy dance). 🙂

What are Stuck Points in Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Stuck points are inaccurate beliefs that keep people from recovering from trauma. I had many stuck points in the beginning.

Why was I the only kid singled out in the class for her to bully? Did I have a sign above my head that said “Pick me, I’m gullible!” I always felt ignorant because she held me back.

That was my stuck point, no self-esteem. So, I gradually started doing things and put myself in situations where I could prove I was smart.

I took some classes at a local college and did very well. Also, I stated trusing people more with small things which gradually grew to bigger things.

All it was was baby steps. Slowly one foot in front of the other. And you keep building upon that. Here I am today!

How Long Does Cognitive Processing Therapy Last?

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy lasts for a long time.

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a psychotherapy treatment that usually lasts about three months, or 12 weeks:

Sessions: Each session lasts 60 to 90 minutes, depending on whether it’s individual or group therapy.
Improvement: Some people may start to feel better after a few sessions.
Benefits: The benefits of CPT can last long after the final session

I did notice a difference after a few sessions. I was stating to feel more confidence in myself and my actions after a few weeks.

It has lasted long after the last session. I feel so free of those negative thoughts of not being able to love myself and to stop trying to please everyone.

I felt that if I was pleasing everyone, I was pleasing my teacher so she wouldn’t hurt me anymore. Screwed up thinking. Doesn’t work like that.

Who Should Not Do Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is not recommended for people who:

Are in immediate danger, such as in an abusive relationship or being stalked
Have severe panic attacks or are dissociative
Have a substance use disorder that requires medical detoxification
Have uncontrolled mania or psychosis
Have literacy difficulties
Have not been diagnosed with PTSD
Have comorbid bipolar disorder

For people with substance abuse or suicidal ideation, prolonged exposure therapy (PET) is often recommended instead.

Every person and situation is unique, so it’s important to assess each person accordingly.

What is a Cognitive Processing Weakness?

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy does have some weakness. A cognitive processing weakness is a difficulty with processing information, which can affect a person’s ability to learn, remember, and perform tasks:

Attention: Difficulty paying attention, even for short periods
Memory: Difficulty remembering facts or multi-step instructions
Learning: Difficulty learning new things or concentrating
Processing speed: Difficulty processing information quickly, which can lead to needing more time to make decisions or give answers
Social cues: Difficulty noticing social cues or nuances in conversation
Following directions: Difficulty following directions or routines
Completing tasks: Difficulty finishing tasks on time or in a reasonable amount of time

Cognitive processing weaknesses can be caused by a number of factors, including ADHD, learning disabilities, or brain differences.

The signs of a cognitive processing weakness can look different at different ages.

Sum It All Up

Think, heal, thrive: the impact of cognitive processing therapy is epic.

All in all, Cognitive Processing Therapy helped me immensely. I would reccomend it to those who have PTSD and other Illnesses that it could help.

I like CPT because it took me from hating myself to loving myself in a matter of months. At the time, I never thought that was even possible.

My actions were the result of being tormented by my teacher and peers. Especially why I was trying to please everyone. I was trying to please my teacher.

Nowadays I’m looking out for my best interest and making the most of everyday. I hope you have that same chance in your life. Until next time…

Articles About CPT

-What Is Cognitive Processing Therapy?

https://www.healthline.com/health/cognitive-processing-therapy

-Cognitive Processing Therapy

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/therapy-types/cognitive-processing-therapy#:~:text=It%20may%20also%20not%20be,is%20often%20recommended%20over%20CPT.

-PTSD: National Center for PTSD

https://www.ptsd.va.gov/understand_tx/cognitive_processing.asp#:~:text=The%20risks%20of%20doing%20CPT,as%20they%20keep%20doing%20CPT.

Have a Good One,

Cindee Murphy
“One Voice, CPT Queen!”

“I cannot stand the words ‘Get over it’. All of us are under such pressure to put our problems in the past tense … Don’t allow others to hurry your healing. It is a process … and that’s OK.”-Beau Taplin

“When we deny our pain, losses, and feelings year after year, we become less and less human. We transform slowly into empty shells with smiley faces painted on them.”–Peter Scazzero

“Sometimes the people with the greatest potential often experience the most painful life experiences. This is not a punishment but a preparation for greatness.”-Janet S. Dickens

“Emotional pain is not something that should be hidden away and never spoken about. There is truth in your pain, there is growth in your pain, but only if it’s first brought out into the open.”-Steven Aitchison

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