Outline:

Section 1: Introduction

1. About This Course


2. Learning Objectives

Section 2: Theoretical Background

1. The After-Action Report


2. Trauma and PTSD


3. Behavioral Model of PTSD


4. Classical Conditioning


5. Classical Conditioning and PTSD


6. Single Trial Learning


7. Conditioned Stimuli and Conditioned Responses


8. Meet Janet


9. Operant Conditioning


10. Operant Conditioning and PTSD


11. Case Example: Meet CPL Wright


12. More about CPL Wright


13. Review


14. Summary

Section 3: Cognitive Behavioral Treatment of PTSD

1. Understanding CPL Wright


2. What Is Exposure Therapy?


3. Emotional Processing Theory: A Cognitive Behavioral Model of PTSD


4. Trauma Memory


5. Characteristics of Trauma-Related Fear Structure


6. Avoidance Leads to Chronic PTSD


7. Recovery Process


8. Erroneous Cognitions Related to PTSD


9. Let’s Practice!


10. Review


11. Summary

Section 4: Empirical Support for Prolonged Exposure Therapy

1. Support for Use with Military Service Members and Veterans


2. Further Empirical Support


3. Treatment Modifications


4. Additional Modifications


5. Review


6. Summary

Section 5: An Overview of Techniques and Procedures

1. Overview


2. For Whom Is PE Therapy Appropriate?


3. A Good Foundation for PE Therapy


4. The Four Treatment Procedures Used in PE


5. Psychoeducation about Common Reactions to Trauma


6. Additional Psychoeducation about Common Reactions to Trauma


7. Breathing Retraining


8. In Vivo Exposure


9. More about CPL Wright


10. In Vivo Exposure Instructions for the Client


11. Imaginal Exposure


12. The Benefits of Imaginal Exposure


13. What about CPL Wright?


14. PE Session Outlines


15. Review


16. PE: Modifications and Future Directions


17. Summary

Section 6: Conclusion

1. Summary


2. Next Steps


3. Course Contributors


4. Resources


5. References


6. Congratulations!


7. Exam

Jenna Ermold, Ph.D. is a clinical psychologist working as the Assistant Director of Online Programs for the Center for Deployment Psychology at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, she oversees the development and dissemination of online training programs for behavioral health clinicians to improve competency in working with military members and their families. Additionally, she develops and presents workshops across the country to military and civilian audiences on topics in deployment behavioral health and evidence-based therapies for PTSD. She is a graduate of the Malcolm Grow (USAF) Medical Center Psychology Residency Program and served on active duty as a psychology in the United States Air Force from 2002 to 2006. Dr. Ermold graduated from Middlebury College with a degree in psychology and English and received her doctorate in clinical psychology from the University of Vermont. She specializes in health psychology, behavioral health integration into primary care, women's reproductive behavioral health, post-traumatic stress disorder, and military psychology.  Disclosure: Jenna Ermold, Ph.D. has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

William Brim, Psy.D., is a clinical psychologist and Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. He has been with the Center for Deployment Psychology since 2007, initially as a Deployment Behavioral Health Psychologist at Malcolm Grow (USAF) Medical Center and serving as the Deputy Director since 2008. He is a graduate of the University of Tennessee (Psychology) and has his Master's and Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, FL (1998). He is a graduate of the Wilford Hall (USAF) Medical Center Psychology Residency Program (1998) and the Wilford Hall Clinical Health Psychology Post-doctoral Fellowship Program (2001). Dr. Brim served on Active Duty as a psychologist in the United States Air Force from 1997 to 2007. Disclosure: William Brim, Psy.D. has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

David Riggs, Ph.D., Executive Director of the Center for Deployment Psychology, is a clinical psychologist and Research Associate Professor at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences. Dr. Riggs has served as the Executive Director of the CDP since its founding in 2006. He received his B.A. (Psychology) from the University of Kansas and earned his Ph.D. at the State University of New York at Stony Brook (1990). He completed a clinical psychology internship at the Medical University of South Carolina (1989). Prior to taking the Director position at the CDP, Dr. Riggs held clinical research positions at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety and the National Center for PTSD at the Boston VA Medical Center. He has previously held academic appointments at the Medical College of Pennsylvania, Tufts University, Boston University and the University of Pennsylvania. As a clinical and research psychologist, much of Dr. Riggs’ work has focused on trauma, violence and anxiety with a particular interest in the impact of PTSD and other anxiety disorders on the families of those directly affected. He has trained numerous student and mental health professionals from the United States and other countries in techniques for treating PTSD, OCD and other anxiety disorders. This included training professionals in ways to address the needs of survivors of international terror, natural disasters, military trauma, and sexual and physical assault. Dr. Riggs has published over 60 articles and book chapters and presented over 200 papers and workshops on topics including posttraumatic disorder, domestic violence, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and behavioral therapy. Disclosure: David Riggs, Ph.D. has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

Naju Madra, M.A. is an internal subject matter expert and clinical content writer for Relias' Behavioral Healthcare library. She earned her Master's degree in Psychology with specific study in neuropsychological assessment for children with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders. She brings with her a wealth of experience in clinical assessment, along with expertise in large-scale clinical research project management, recruitment, training, as well as in-person and web-based curriculum development.

In addition to scholarly activities such as writing manuals and preparing manuscripts for peer-reviewed journals, Ms. Madra has over 15 years of behavioral healthcare experience ranging from crisis counseling and job coaching for individuals with severe mental illness and co-occurring disorders, to community college instruction, and trauma specialist at the Veterans Health Administration. In her current role, Ms. Madra has contributed authorship to over 100 behavioral healthcare course offerings for both licensed and non-licensed professionals in the Health & Human Services market.

Disclosure: Naju Madra, M.A. has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.

Kelly Chrestman, Ph.D., is a licensed clinical psychologist working as the lead for online consultation services at the Center for Deployment Psychology (CDP) at the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in Bethesda, Maryland. In this capacity, she is responsible for the development of the CDP's web based consultation services to DoD and military mental health providers.

Dr. Chrestman received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Rhodes College, Memphis, Tennessee and her Master of Arts and Doctor of Psychology degrees from Nova Southeastern University. She completed a clinical psychology internship at the University of Mississippi, Jackson VA Medical Center Consortium and postdoctoral training at the Women's Health Sciences Division of the National Center for PTSD,Boston, Massachusetts. Prior to joining the CDP, she was a research scientist at Behavioral Tech Research, Inc. and a clinical psychologist at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety at the University of Pennsylvania.

As a clinical and research psychologist, much of Dr. Chrestman's work has focused on trauma, violence and anxiety. She is particularly interested in the dissemination of empirically supported treatments, and using technology to improve the accessibility of treatment and training in community settings. She has trained numerous student and mental health professionals from the United States and other countries in techniques for treating PTSD and other anxiety disorders.

Dr. Chrestman is a co-author of Prolonged Exposure Therapy for Adolescents with PTSD: Emotional Processing of Traumatic Experiences (2008) and has authored several articles on community and professional responses to trauma, particularly domestic violence and sexual assault.

Disclosure: Kelly Chrestman, Ph.D. has declared that no conflict of interest, Relevant Financial Relationship or Relevant Non-Financial Relationship exists.