PTSD: National Center for PTSD

Using the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid with Your Patients

The PTSD Treatment Decision Aid is an online tool to educate people with PTSD about effective treatment options and encourage them to participate actively in decisions about their care.

This tool offers comprehensive information on first-line, evidence-based PTSD treatments identified in the VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline, including:

• Antidepressants (SSRIs and SNRIs)
• Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
• Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
• Prolonged Exposure (PE)

Key Features

Using the PTSD Treatment Decision Aid, your patients can:

• Learn the basics about each of the featured evidence-based treatments, including what they would be asked to do in the treatment, how long it lasts, and how well it works.
• Watch videos of expert clinicians describing each treatment in clear and simple language.
• Compare the treatments they like the most in a personalized chart that helps them see how different treatments measure up to one another and to their own preferences.
• Find answers to some of the most common questions about PTSD treatment, such as: Can I get PTSD treatment if I am drinking or using drugs? Or, will I have to talk in detail about my trauma?
• Get helpful tips on how to work with you to make decisions about their PTSD care.

Continuing Education Course

See the accredited online course Shared Decision-Making for PTSD. It provides information on and a practical model for shared decision-making for PTSD treatment.

You May Also Be Interested In

VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD (2023)

Get information on evidence-based treatment recommendations for PTSD.

Clinician's Guide to Medications for PTSD

Get key information and guidance on the best medications for PTSD.

PTSD Consultation Program

Expert guidance for treating Veterans with PTSD.