PTSD Course for Psychiatrists

Lesson 1 • PTSD Subtypes and Specifiers

Introduces dissociative subtype, delayed-expression specifier, and complex PTSD presentations. Enables accurate subtype identification to guide individualised treatment planning.

Lesson 2 • DSM-5 and ICD Diagnostic Criteria

Details the four PTSD symptom clusters: intrusion, avoidance, negative cognition, and hyperarousal. Trains clinicians to apply diagnostic thresholds accurately and distinguish PTSD from related disorders.

Lesson 3 • Epidemiology and Risk Factors

Reviews global PTSD prevalence, incidence rates by trauma type, and biological and psychosocial risk factors. Contextualises clinical caseload expectations and informs prevention-focused practice.

Lesson 4 • Defining Trauma and Its Impact

Covers the clinical definition of trauma, types of traumatic events, and acute stress responses. Provides the conceptual baseline for all subsequent PTSD assessment and treatment content.

Lesson 1 • Clinical Interview Techniques for Trauma

Teaches trauma-informed interviewing strategies that minimise retraumatisation while eliciting complete symptom histories. Establishes the interpersonal foundation for all formal assessment procedures.

Lesson 2 • Comorbidity Assessment and Mapping

Addresses systematic screening for substance use disorders, depression, TBI, and chronic pain co-occurring with PTSD. Produces a comorbidity map that prioritises treatment sequencing decisions.

Lesson 3 • Formulation and Case Conceptualisation

Integrates biological, psychological, and social data into a biopsychosocial PTSD formulation. Translates the formulation into individualised treatment goals and measurable outcome targets.

Lesson 4 • Validated PTSD Rating Scales

Covers administration and scoring of the CAPS-5, PCL-5, and IES-R instruments. Connects scale selection to clinical context, research requirements, and monitoring treatment progress.

Lesson 1 • First-Line Pharmacological Agents

Reviews SSRI and SNRI mechanisms, dosing ranges, and evidence bases for PTSD. Establishes the standard pharmacological starting point before addressing augmentation and adjunctive options.

Lesson 2 • Adjunctive and Augmentation Agents

Covers prazosin for nightmares, atypical antipsychotics, and mood stabilisers as augmentation options. Guides rational polypharmacy decisions when first-line monotherapy is insufficient.

Lesson 3 • Pharmacotherapy for Comorbid Conditions

Addresses medication selection when PTSD co-occurs with depression, substance use disorder, or TBI. Prevents adverse drug interactions and optimises outcomes across comorbid diagnoses.

Lesson 4 • Treatment Resistance and Emerging Agents

Defines pharmacological treatment resistance and reviews emerging agents including MDMA-assisted therapy and ketamine. Prepares clinicians to evaluate novel treatments critically and apply them appropriately.

Lesson 1 • Prolonged Exposure Therapy Techniques

Covers imaginal and in-vivo exposure rationale, SUDS monitoring, and processing post-exposure. Trains clinicians to implement PE safely while managing avoidance and dropout risk.

Lesson 2 • Trauma-Focused CBT for Special Populations

Adapts TF-CBT principles for children, adolescents, and survivors of sexual trauma. Ensures developmentally appropriate and culturally sensitive delivery of cognitive-behavioural interventions.

Lesson 3 • EMDR Therapy Protocol

Introduces the eight-phase EMDR protocol, bilateral stimulation mechanisms, and target memory selection. Enables clinicians to apply EMDR within a structured, evidence-based framework.

Lesson 4 • Cognitive Processing Therapy Fundamentals

Teaches the CPT model, stuck-point identification, and cognitive restructuring techniques for trauma-related beliefs. Connects CPT theory to session-by-session delivery protocols.

Lesson 1 • Acute Stress Disorder Management

Covers ASD diagnostic criteria, risk stratification for PTSD progression, and brief early interventions. Enables timely clinical decisions that reduce the likelihood of chronic PTSD development.

Lesson 2 • Mass Casualty and Disaster Response

Applies PTSD prevention and triage principles to mass casualty events, natural disasters, and pandemics. Prepares clinicians to function effectively within coordinated disaster mental health systems.

Lesson 3 • Psychological First Aid Principles

Teaches the five core PFA actions: safety, calm, connectedness, self-efficacy, and hope. Establishes the evidence-based acute response framework before introducing formal early interventions.

Lesson 4 • Inpatient Stabilisation for Acute PTSD

Addresses indications for inpatient admission, milieu safety planning, and trauma-informed inpatient care. Bridges acute stabilisation to outpatient trauma-focused treatment continuity.

Lesson 1 • PTSD with Substance Use Disorders

Addresses integrated treatment models for co-occurring PTSD and substance use disorders, including Seeking Safety. Sequences detoxification, stabilisation, and trauma-focused interventions appropriately.

Lesson 2 • PTSD with Suicidality and Self-Harm

Provides structured suicide risk assessment frameworks and safety planning specific to PTSD patients. Trains clinicians to continue trauma-focused work while managing active suicidal risk.

Lesson 3 • Dissociation Assessment and Management

Covers dissociative symptom types, validated screening tools, and grounding techniques for clinical management. Prepares clinicians to safely process trauma in patients with significant dissociation.

Lesson 4 • Phase-Based Treatment for Complex Cases

Applies the three-phase stabilisation-processing-integration model to complex PTSD treatment planning. Guides clinicians in pacing treatment to prevent destabilisation in high-complexity cases.

Lesson 1 • Combat Veterans and Military Personnel

Addresses military culture, moral injury, and MST as unique factors shaping PTSD in veterans. Adapts evidence-based treatments to military-specific trauma types and help-seeking barriers.

Lesson 2 • Refugee and Asylum-Seeking Populations

Covers cumulative trauma exposure, acculturation stress, and interpreter-mediated assessment in refugee populations. Adapts trauma-focused interventions for cross-cultural and resource-limited contexts.

Lesson 3 • Childhood and Developmental Trauma

Examines adverse childhood experiences, developmental trauma disorder, and attachment disruption in paediatric PTSD. Applies age-appropriate assessment tools and family-inclusive treatment models.

Lesson 4 • First Responders and Healthcare Workers

Identifies occupational trauma, cumulative exposure, and institutional barriers to care in first responders. Applies brief, workplace-compatible interventions and peer support integration strategies.

Lesson 1 • Relapse Prevention and Long-Term Recovery

Develops individualised relapse prevention plans, identifies early warning signs, and builds long-term recovery skills. Prepares patients for treatment termination and sustained functioning post-therapy.

Lesson 2 • Managing Therapeutic Alliance and Ruptures

Covers alliance formation with trauma survivors, rupture detection, and evidence-based repair strategies. Reduces premature dropout and strengthens the therapeutic relationship as a change mechanism.

Lesson 3 • Measuring and Monitoring Treatment Outcomes

Establishes routine outcome monitoring using validated measures and clinically significant change benchmarks. Connects data-driven monitoring to timely treatment adjustments and improved patient outcomes.

Lesson 4 • Quality Improvement in PTSD Services

Applies quality improvement methodologies to PTSD programme evaluation, fidelity monitoring, and service redesign. Enables clinicians to lead system-level improvements that enhance population-level PTSD outcomes.