Healing From Trauma by Understanding What Happened and What It Means to You
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a trauma-focused form of therapy that helps you examine how trauma has affected your thoughts and beliefs and develop healthier ways of making sense of what happened.
Insurance Plans We Accept
We work with many major insurance providers to make quality mental healthcare more accessible.
What Is Cognitive Processing Therapy?
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a structured, trauma-focused psychotherapy designed to help people process the thoughts and beliefs that can develop following a traumatic experience.
After trauma, it is common for people to struggle with questions such as:
- Was it my fault?
- Could I have prevented it?
- Can I trust anyone anymore?
- Am I safe now?
- Has this changed who I am?
CPT helps you examine these thoughts, understand how they may be affecting you today, and develop more balanced ways of thinking about the experience.
CPT isn't about forgetting what happened.
It's about making space to understand what happened—and how it continues to shape the way you see yourself and your life.
How Cognitive Processing Therapy Can Help
Understand Trauma-Related Thoughts
Identify beliefs and interpretations that may have developed following a traumatic experience.
Challenge Unhelpful Beliefs
Examine thoughts that may be keeping you stuck in guilt, shame, fear, anger, or self-blame.
Make Sense of What Happened
Develop a clearer and more balanced understanding of the traumatic experience and its impact.
Reduce Emotional Distress
Work toward changing thought patterns that may contribute to ongoing distress.
Rebuild Your Sense of Self
Explore how trauma may have affected beliefs about yourself, your relationships, safety, trust, or control.
Move Forward With Greater Understanding
Develop ways of thinking about the past that allow you to engage more fully with your life in the present.
Who Can Benefit From Cognitive Processing Therapy?
CPT may be appropriate for adults who are experiencing ongoing emotional difficulties following a traumatic or highly distressing experience.
Trauma and Post-Trauma Distress
Support for individuals who continue to experience emotional distress related to a traumatic event.
Guilt and Self-Blame
Explore persistent thoughts such as “I should have done something differently” or “It was my fault.”
Difficulty Trusting Others
Trauma can affect beliefs about relationships, safety, and whether other people can be trusted.
Changes in Your Sense of Safety
Explore thoughts and behaviors shaped by feeling unsafe, even when the traumatic event is no longer happening.
What to Expect From Cognitive Processing Therapy
CPT is structured and collaborative. Your therapist will guide you through the process while working at a pace appropriate to your needs.
Begin With Understanding
Your therapist will learn about your experiences, current concerns, and what you hope to accomplish through therapy.
Explore Trauma-Related Beliefs
You'll identify thoughts and beliefs that may have developed or become stronger after trauma.
What to Expect From Cognitive Processing Therapy
CPT is structured and collaborative. Your therapist will guide you through the process while working at a pace appropriate to your needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to common questions about Cognitive Processing Therapy at Good Karma Therapy.
Your questions, answered
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a structured, trauma-focused psychotherapy that helps people examine and work through thoughts and beliefs related to traumatic experiences.
CPT is primarily used as a trauma-focused treatment. It may be appropriate for people experiencing ongoing distress, guilt, shame, self-blame, or changes in beliefs following trauma.
CPT is a specific trauma-focused therapy that draws on cognitive and behavioral principles. While it shares some elements with CBT, CPT has a particular structure and focus on processing trauma-related beliefs.
CPT helps you identify and examine beliefs that may have developed after trauma and consider whether those beliefs accurately reflect what happened and your life today.
Trauma-focused therapy involves addressing the effects of the traumatic experience, but the specific way your experiences are discussed will depend on your treatment plan and therapist. Your therapist can explain what to expect before beginning.
The length of therapy varies depending on your needs, goals, response to treatment, and the treatment plan developed with your therapist.
CPT can be particularly relevant when trauma has contributed to persistent guilt, self-blame, or beliefs that you should have been able to prevent what happened.
Virtual CPT may be an option depending on your needs, treatment goals, and clinician availability. Your therapist can help determine whether online therapy is clinically appropriate for you.
If you're searching for CPT Therapy Near Me in Newark or elsewhere in Delaware, you can contact Good Karma Therapy to discuss your concerns and learn whether Cognitive Processing Therapy may be an appropriate option.
Explore More Services
Explore personalized support for individuals, couples, families, and children.
Cognitive Processing Therapy Near You in Delaware
Our therapists serve clients in Newark and surrounding Delaware communities, with virtual and in-office options based on clinician availability and clinical appropriateness.