Do You Need To Talk About It? Prolonged Exposure for the Treatment of Chronic PTSD

Is addressing the traumatic memory a necessary component of the treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD)? Perhaps not for everyone, but in the present paper, we suggest that prolonged exposure, a cognitive behavioral treatment that includes repeated recounting of the traumatic memory, is a viable and robust treatment option. Prolonged exposure (PE) is widely regarded as an efficacious treatment for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (Foa, Keane, & Friedman, 2000). The present paper reviews the efficacy and effectiveness of PE for the treatment of chronic PTSD and for a broader range of trauma-related symptoms. We will also review issues surrounding the acceptability of PE to mental health providers and potential clients. We conclude with a discussion the need for dissemination, additional dismantling studies, and further cross-cultural research