EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Memory-focused. Strong VA/DoD recommendation for PTSD.
These cards explain the treatment. They are not applications. Read the brief, then see programs that use it.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Memory-focused. Strong VA/DoD recommendation for PTSD.
Structured cognitive work on stuck points after trauma. Strong recommendation; widely available in VA.
Gradual, supported approach toward avoided memories and situations. Strong evidence; demanding by design.
Ground work and relationship with horses. Open trials in veterans show PTSD score drops; quality of evidence still limited.
Psychiatric service dogs and facility dogs. Support for functioning and engagement more than a standalone PTSD cure.
Legal in U.S. clinics (off-label for PTSD). Fast-acting for some; a large VA PTSD trial was negative. Integration matters.
Strongest Phase 3 signal among classic PAT options. FDA declined approval in 2024; research and expanded access continue.
Early veteran pilots; VA-sponsored trials underway. No completed large PTSD RCT yet. Legal only in limited state/trial settings.
Texas IMPACT and other veteran-focused work on PTSD + TBI. Not legal for treatment in most of the U.S. Cardiac risk requires medical setting.
N,N-DMT (ayahuasca) and 5-MeO-DMT are different compounds. Schedule I in the U.S. No walk-in clinic path. Overseas or trial only.
Ceremony brew: DMT + MAOI, hours not minutes. Overseas or church settings. Not a U.S. clinic product. MAOI drug/food interactions.
High-pressure oxygen sessions. Advocates cite TBI/PTSD gains; VA/DoD guidelines do not recommend it as standard PTSD/mTBI care.
Required or commonly offered CIH practices in VA. Best as part of a plan, not a replacement for trauma-focused therapy when PTSD is primary.
Outdoor immersion used by many veteran nonprofits. Mechanism is regulation, camaraderie, and meaning — not a manualized PTSD protocol.
Five-session written trauma protocol. VA/DoD suggested. Shorter than PE or CPT; useful when time or dropout risk is high.
Treat insomnia as its own condition. CBT-I is first-line for chronic insomnia. Prazosin and imagery rehearsal target nightmares, not global PTSD.
Vestibular, vision, cognitive rehab, headache and sleep — different door from PTSD talk therapy. NICoE / Intrepid Spirit / polytrauma.
Prolonged Exposure in a headset or on a treadmill. Still exposure with a trained clinician. Consumer VR apps are not this.
Shorter body and parts-based methods plus regulation tools. Thinner evidence. Bridges, not replacements.
Sertraline, paroxetine (FDA-labeled), venlafaxine commonly used. First-line medication options in VA/DoD guidelines. Not a standalone “cure.”
When alcohol or drugs travel with trauma. VA treats co-occurring conditions together when possible rather than “get sober first, then PTSD.”
Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation. FDA-cleared for depression; used off-label and in trials for PTSD. Available in some VA and civilian clinics.
Neck-level sympathetic block used for hyperarousal. Growing clinic use; evidence still mixed. Not first-line.
Includes HeartMath-style coherence training and EEG neurofeedback. Best as skill-building, not a replacement for trauma-focused therapy.
Warrior PATHH model: not clinical therapy. Peer-led meaning, identity, and growth after trauma. Separate lane from CPT/PE.
Community readjustment counseling. Different wrapper than a VAMC clinic. Often the easiest first conversation. No VA enrollment required.
Paced and rhythmic breathing as a regulation skill. SKY Resilience workshops, HeartMath, and VA biofeedback. Adjunct for stress and sleep — not first-line PTSD therapy.