What is Cognitive Processing Therapy?

Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is an evidence-based, trauma-focused therapy designed to help individuals recover from the emotional and psychological impact of traumatic experiences. CPT is effective for people experiencing symptoms of post-traumatic stress, including intrusive thoughts, avoidance, emotional numbness, guilt, shame, or persistent negative beliefs about themselves, others, or the world.
 

Trauma can disrupt how we make sense of what happened and often leads to unhelpful or painful beliefs such as “It was my fault,” “I’m not safe,” or “I can’t trust anyone” to name a few. CPT helps individuals gently examine these beliefs and understand how trauma has influenced their thinking and emotions.

Through CPT, clients learn to:

• Identify and challenge trauma-related thoughts that keep them feeling stuck

• Develop more balanced and compassionate ways of understanding themselves and their experiences

• Reduce trauma-related symptoms such as anxiety, depression, and emotional avoidance

• Reclaim a sense of safety, control, and meaning in their lives

CPT is a structured, collaborative approach that typically takes place over a limited number of sessions. While the work is intentional and focused, sessions move at a pace that respects each client’s readiness and emotional capacity.
 

CPT does not require detailed retelling of the trauma in every session. Instead, the focus is on how the trauma is impacting your present-day thoughts, emotions, and relationships.
 

Who May Benefit from CPT?

CPT may be a good fit if you:

• Have experienced trauma such as loss, medical trauma, birth trauma, abuse, assault, or accidents

• Feel “stuck” in guilt, shame, anger, or self-blame related to a past experience

• Notice that trauma is affecting your relationships, self-esteem, or sense of safety

• Want a structured, evidence-based approach to trauma healing

What CPT Is Like in Therapy

CPT is active and collaborative. Together, we work to understand how trauma has shaped your beliefs and develop tools to help you respond to distressing thoughts in a new way. Clients often report feeling more empowered, grounded, and compassionate toward themselves as therapy progresses.