APA finally recognizes cPTSD -
Reframing trauma(s) and the need for multiple, integrative therapies
I learned today from one cPTSD (complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) therapist I follow that APA - American Psychological Associations - has now provided tips, insights and approaches for treating cPTSD; they acknowledge that various forms of trauma exist for those with this condition. They provide these in hopes of helping therapists to do better to approach treatment through somatic therapies as well as integrative approaches to treatment - that draw from a variety of different therapies, rather than just one. (As well as not over-relying on cognitive therapies - emphasizing thought patterns and talk therapies.)
All of this, keep in mind, is necessary because PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) is the shining star - the one only acknowledged, of physiological effects from trauma. It gets all the attention.
Some therapists even scoff that cPTSD exists. They believe that cPTSD can/should/does fit under the umbrella that is PTSD. cPTSD has only been recently, within the last 8 years, acknowledged as a condition in its own right. Separate and different from PTSD.
PTSD too often only defines itself by fixating on Capital-T trauma [sic], better understood as single event trauma - living through a genocide or war, act of violence, rape, assault, serving in active combat, etc.
All of the above is indeed horrific, but it does not hold a monopoly on ‘real’ trauma.
The authors in the paper acknowledge that in only approaching trauma or mostly from PTSD, we lose sight of various types of trauma -reoccurring and concurrent traumas, that many people have.
They also suggest to stop over-emphasizing the mind (from the mind-body binary) and to not only draw from one type of therapy in treating this condition. (CBT, DBT, etc) They suggest, instead, to bring forth multiple integrative approaches, acknowledging body-somatic-healing - that we have through somatic healing, polyvagal theory - stimulating the vagus nerve, yoga, etc.
In proposing this, they are advocating for a trans-approach to theories.
As someone who also studies cultural rhetorics and decolonial theories, which involve the dangers of colonialism and ongoing coloniality - I couldn’t agree more.
It treats the person as mind-body-spirit-energy, rather than simply regarding us as mindbody - there is more to our essences/auras than simply the dualistic approach of mind-body, how western approaches regard us, and have taught us to think…
Moreover, that danger of colonialism - treating us as only those two things - creates and upholds that false binary - and that is the direct result of coloniality -
But, because we have set up such a false duality, we have had to spend decades -arguably centuries - re-evaluating our approaches to medical practices, including mental health services, like psychology and psychiatry.
To acknowledge that there is more to people than mind-body duality, the experts through APA, acknowledge that a variety of approaches to treatment are not only available but have proven to be effective in treating cPTSD.
Integrative approaches and ones that draw from fields that western science have seen as woo-woo, intangible, elusive - are the missing keys - I firmly believe in treating mental health.
It serves us right for our approach, that began with the evil that was Manifest Destiny - that arrogant and dismissive and ignorant notion that western cultures are superior and the indigenous ones are the inferior ones -
Many African and indigenous cultures have, and have always had, a more holistic and trans-disciplinary approach to treating psychological, behavioral, mental, and emotional conditions.
It’s 2025 -
So overdue -It’s high time we catch up.