Alternative Therapies for PTSD The Science of Mind–Body Treatments

This book explores promising alternative therapies for trauma survivors who have difficulty with traditional treatment approaches. 

Standard psychological treatments that are often used to treat PTSD, including cognitive behavioral therapy and prolonged exposure therapy, involve revisiting past traumas, which can cause intense anxiety for clients and often leads to treatment dropout. Author Robert Motta draws from his professional expertise as a trauma therapist, and from his personal experiences as a military veteran seeking effective, accessible methods of treating his own PTSD. He summarizes what is known—as well as what is still unknown or unproven—along with other strengths and limitations of various nontraditional approaches, including mindfulness meditation, yoga, acupuncture, animal‑ and nature-assisted therapies, emotional freedom techniques, and MDMA-assisted psychotherapy.

These treatments are appropriate for clients with a wide range of trauma histories including war, rape, childhood abuse, or a car accident. Clinical vignettes provide practical insights for implementing these interventions with individuals of various ages and backgrounds.

Robert W. Motta, PhD, is a professor of psychology and Director of the Doctoral Program in School-Community Psychology at Hofstra University in New York. He is also Director of Hofstra’s Child and Family Trauma Institute. Dr. Motta served in the US Army’s First Air Cavalry Division during the Vietnam War. He is board certified in both Cognitive-Behavioral Psychology and Behavioral Psychology. Dr. Motta is on the examining board of ABPP (American Board of Professional Psychology), is a licensed clinical psychologist, certified school psychologist, and past president of the School Psychology Division of the New York State Psychological Association.

Introduction
1. PTSD and Its Treatment
2. Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for PTSD
3. Yoga for PTSD
4. Mindfulness Meditation-Based Interventions for PTSD
5. Exercise, Trauma, and Negative Emotional States
6. Nature- and Animal-Assisted Therapies for PTSD
7. Acupuncture for PTSD
8. Emotional Freedom Techniques for PTSD
9. MDMA ("Ecstasy") for PTSD
10. Key Takeaways and Other Alternative Therapies
Appendix. Resources for Trauma Sufferers and Clinicians
References
Index
About the Author