News & Events

Earthquakes. Workplace accidents. Physical assaults. Military combat missions. Each of these natural and manmade situations has the potential to traumatize those who experience them. But it's not just individuals who may endure the after-effects of a traumatic event; personal relationships can suffer tremendous strain, too. 

That's because traumatic experiences almost always involve other people, says Candice Monson, a professor in Ryerson's Department of Psychology, and a leading expert on intimate relationships and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

"The experience of trauma itself is inherently interpersonal, whether we are betrayed by humanity, by someone who was supposed to look out for us or we experienced a traumatic event simultaneously with many others," she says. "We need to think beyond the individual, and think about the loved ones who are affected by a partner's PTSD and who can also have an impact on the disorder."

According to Monson, about 75 per cent of Canadians will experience an event that meets the criteria for PTSD. But only about 10 per cent of those will go on to acquire the disorder. Social support in the wake of trauma is one of the most important facilitators of recovery after traumatic experiences. Furthermore, Monson says talking about traumatic experiences lessens the chance of developing PTSD – and that kind of open communication plays a critical role in strong, healthy relationships.

Among couples in which one or both partners have PTSD, the divorce rate is three to four times greater than couples without the disorder. That figure is roughly equal to the divorce rate among people with other severe mental health conditions, such as depression or bipolar disorder.

To help couples dealing with PTSD, Monson created a type of psychotherapy called Cognitive-Behavioral Conjoint Therapy for PTSD (CBCT for PTSD). Initially developed by Monson when she was on faculty at Dartmouth Medical School in New Hampshire, CBCT for PTSD was used to treat military veterans and their partners.

Over the last 10 years, Monson and her colleagues have practised and studied CBCT for PTSD with different couples and types of trauma through her association with the National Centre for PTSD (affiliated with the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs) in Boston. Today at Ryerson, she not only offers and studies the therapy, but also teaches graduate-level psychology students how to assess couples and how to become CBCT for PTSD practitioners themselves.
 
During 15 sessions, couples in CBCT for PTSD focus on the importance of their relationship and the way they communicate. Although these are features of traditional couple therapy, CBCT for PTSD goes further to examine PTSD symptoms and the ways in which the couple's interaction affects the symptoms. Symptoms include avoidance of social situations, as well as decreased communication, satisfaction with life, and emotional and physical intimacy.

CBCT for PTSD aims to repair those bonds by improving communication between partners. Early in the process, couples learn conflict management skills, and a process to explore their thoughts and feelings together. Later, when couples feel more secure in their communication, they are encouraged to discuss the traumatic event from a big-picture viewpoint and evaluate their perceptions of it. The resulting conversation can be very therapeutic, says Monson.

"Often people think, 'If only I hadn't done this or that, the traumatic experience would not have happened to me.' But talking about the event in the context of a relationship helps the person with PTSD think, 'But is my belief really true or helpful?'"

CBCT for PTSD has helped mend a variety of relationships, including those among same-sex couples, siblings, and parents and children. And while the traumatic experiences may differ, the ultimate goal of the therapy remains the same, says Monson.

"We're not trying to get rid of the memory. We're trying to get rid of the pain and emotional baggage that surrounds it, and put it all in context in order to move on."

To learn more about Cognitive-Behavioural Conjoint Therapy for PTSD, visit www.couplestherapyforPTSD.com.

Read more research news at:
www.ryerson.ca/research

If you are a faculty member and would like to submit your current research as a story idea, please email a brief summary to stoye@ryerson.ca