Trauma-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy of a patient with PTSD in a veterans affairs setting

Abstract

Objective: This article aims to articulate the use of trauma-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (TFPP) for a 33-year-old U.S. Army veteran with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in a Veterans Affairs (VA) setting. Methods: The patient was treated with TFPP, a manualized brief psychotherapy provided as part of a pilot study. TFPP differs from traditional dynamic psychotherapies in its focus on symptoms of trauma and associated dynamics. The patient was seen for an initial 60-minute intake session and then for 16 50-minute sessions over 5.5 months at a VA medical center. Results: Follow-up three months after termination of therapy indicated that the patient’s panic disorder and PTSD symptoms remained much improved, although some rumination and difficulty focusing persisted. Conclusions: TFPP appears promising as shown with this patient and others in VA settings who have been treated with TFPP.