What are three evidence-based therapies for PTSD?

• A. Psychoanalytic therapy
• B. Trauma-focused CBT, EMDR, and Prolonged Exposure
• C. Supportive counseling
• D. Medication-only therapy

Answer: (B)

Three evidence-based therapies for PTSD are trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy, EMDR, and Prolonged Exposure. Trauma-focused CBT helps you process the trauma by challenging unhelpful thoughts and reducing avoidance, using structured procedures to gradually confront feared reminders in a safe way. EMDR uses focused attention on the traumatic memory while engaging bilateral stimulation, which various studies show can reduce PTSD symptoms as you process the distressing event. Prolonged Exposure guides you through repeated, controlled exposure to memories, thoughts, and situations related to the trauma to lessen avoidance and distress over time. These approaches have strong support from randomized controlled trials and meta-analyses, and guidelines consistently label them as first-line treatments because they produce reliable symptom reduction and improved functioning.

Other options don’t carry the same level of PTSD-specific evidence. Psychoanalytic therapy isn’t backed by as many robust trials for PTSD outcomes. Supportive counseling provides comfort and social support but lacks the focused processing of trauma that drives the strongest improvements. Medication alone can help with symptoms but doesn’t deliver the therapeutic processing of trauma; when medications are used, they’re typically part of a broader treatment plan that includes trauma-focused therapy.