What is Complex PTSD and Why is Coherence Therapy a Good Treatment for it?

"I don't feel like I can trust anybody." "Whenever I make a mistake, I spiral and become very self-critical." "I get frozen in social situations and avoid them as a result."

These statements are examples of responses that can stem from Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (C-PTSD), which is a trauma-based disorder that can develop after prolonged exposure to traumatic events. Unlike traditional PTSD, which is typically caused by a single traumatic event, C-PTSD is caused by repeated and prolonged trauma, such as ongoing physical or sexual abuse, childhood neglect, or living in a warzone for an extended period. In addition to fear and avoidance behaviors, C-PTSD can also involve feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame. Fortunately, with good therapy, it is possible to manage and overcome the effects of C-PTSD.

Coherence Therapy is a good treatment modality for C-PTSD because it views symptoms as meaningful expressions of an individual's underlying psychological structures, rather than simply as a problem to be eliminated. This approach is particularly helpful for C-PTSD sufferers who often deal with a tremendous amount of shame. By viewing symptoms as helpful or necessary adaptations to a specific environment, the therapy approach can be incredibly de-shaming. For example, if a patient is experiencing frequent panic attacks, a coherence therapist would help them identify the deeper emotional and cognitive patterns that are contributing to their symptoms, emphasize how those patterns made sense for the context the client was in, and then facilitate a transformation in those patterns.