Guest Debra Kaysen is a psychologist specializing in treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) who says that promising new cognitive and behavioral therapies are, quite literally, giving people “their lives back.” These therapies work without drugs to help patients manage their disease and its symptoms and, perhaps, even cure PTSD. We’re providing tools to change how they think, Kaysen tells host Russ Altman on this episode of Stanford Engineering’s The Future of Everything podcast.

For interested listeners, Kaysen offers a list of PTSD resources:

Resources

• Previous TFoE episode with Shaili Jain on treatments for PTSD
• https://istss.org/public-resources/trauma-basics
• https://istss.org/public-resources/find-a-clinician
• https://adaa.org/learn-from-us/from-the-experts/blog-posts/consumer/what-youre-feeling-ptsd-what-do-help

Free apps from the VA for PTSD and other related concerns

• https://www.ptsd.va.gov/appvid/mobile/
• https://www.abct.org/get-help/

For a Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) trained therapist

• https://cptforptsd.com/cpt-provider-roster/

Stanford’s PTSD clinic

• https://med.stanford.edu/psychiatry/patient_care/ptsd.html

International resource for a Prolonged Exposure (PE) trained therapist

• https://www.med.upenn.edu/ctsa/find_pe_therapist.html

Chapter Timestamps:

(00:00:00) Introduction to Trauma Therapy and Digital Mental Health

 Russ Altman introduces the topic of trauma therapy and discusses the advancements in digital mental health.

 (00:01:45) Support Apps for Trauma Survivors

Debra Kaysen explores the use of mobile applications as a means of support for sexual assault survivors in the immediate aftermath of trauma.

(00:03:15) Overcoming Barriers

Finding Therapists: Debra Kaysen highlights the challenges survivors face in finding therapists and the potential of apps to bridge that gap.

(00:05:10) Bridging the Gap: Challenges in Accessing Support

Debra Kaysen discusses the difficulties survivors face in accessing timely support and how apps can provide a solution.

(00:08:00) The Power of Telehealth for PTSD Treatment

Debra Kaysen emphasizes the effectiveness of telehealth in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its growing acceptance in the field.

(00:10:15) Equivalence of Telehealth and In-Person Therapy

Debra Kaysen shares her personal experience of providing therapy to her patients via telehealth and highlights its equivalence to in-person sessions.

(00:12:30) Exploring Asynchronous Therapy with Text Messages

Debra Kaysen delves into the use of text messages as a form of asynchronous therapy for PTSD treatment, offering flexibility and convenience.

(00:14:20) Enhancing Support: Immediate Response and Accessibility  

Debra Kaysen discusses the immediate response and accessibility benefits of asynchronous therapy with text messages.

(00:16:00) Building Trust and Establishing Rapport  

Debra Kaysen emphasizes the importance of building trust and establishing rapport in digital therapy settings.

(00:18:00) Honesty and Reduced Fear of Judgment 

Russ Altman discusses the potential for reduced fear of judgment in digital therapy, allowing individuals to be more open and honest in their communication.

 (00:20:00) Exploring Effective Therapeutic Techniques

Debra Kaysen explores various therapeutic techniques used in trauma therapy and their effectiveness in promoting healing.

(00:24:15) Long-Term Outcomes and Prevention

Debra Kaysen explores the long-term outcomes of trauma therapy, highlighting its potential to prevent symptom recurrence and equip individuals with lifelong resilience skills.

(00:26:00) Empowering Individuals: Coping Strategies

Debra Kaysen discusses empowering individuals with effective coping strategies to navigate future traumas.

(00:28:00) Sustaining Progress: Follow-up and Resilience

Debra Kaysen discusses the importance of follow-up care and how trauma therapy helps individuals develop resilience.

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