Advanced Topics in Prolonged Exposure for PTSD 

Time: 9:00am-4:00pm

Location: Virtual

Instructor: Dr. Scott Michael Ph.D., Lake Washington Mental Health

CE credits: 6.0 (pending)

Course Description:

The concept of exposure therapy is simple, but the application is not easy. Our scientific understanding and clinical knowledge base for how to most effectively implement exposure has expanded greatly in the last 20 years. This session will focus in-depth on how to use case conceptualization rooted in emotional processing theory and inhibitory learning models to optimize Prolonged Exposure (PE) for Veterans with posttraumatic stress disorder. The morning section will focus on in vivo exposure, and the afternoon will focus on imaginal exposure. Taken together, we will explore and discuss how to offer the highest standard of care in PE for the Veterans we serve.

Learning objectives. 

At the end of this training participants will be able to:

• Describe the similarities and differences between Inhibitory Learning models of exposure therapy and Emotional Processing Therapy for PTSD
• Identify and explain three (3) or more inhibitory learning enhancement techniques to improve PE outcomes
• Explain the difference between meta and content level trauma structures.
• Describe how to effectively use contextualization to address moral injury related traumatic events.

References:

Craske, M. G., Treanor, M., Zbozinek, T., & Vervliet, B. (2022). Optimizing exposure therapy with an inhibitory retrieval approach and the OptEX Nexus. Behaviour Research & Therapy, 152, 1-15. doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2022.104069

Maples-Keller J., Watkins, L. E., Nylocks, K. M., Yasinski, C., Coghlan, C., Black, K., Jovanovic, T., Rauch S., A. M., Rothbaum, B. O., & Norrholm S.D. (2022). Acquisition, extinction, and return of fear in veterans in intensive outpatient prolonged exposure therapy: A fear-potentiated startle study. Behavior, Research, and Therapy, 154:104124. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104124.

Wells, S. Y., Davis, B. D., Schuster Wachen, J., Silva, M. E., & Norma, S. B. (2026). Optimizing

trauma-focused treatments to address guilt and shame: Clinical considerations and strategies. Journal of Traumatic Stress, doi:10.1002/jts.70081.