Complex Trauma / Developmental Trauma
Not a separate DSM-5-TR diagnosis; overlaps PTSD, personality disorders
Emotional dysregulation, negative self-concept, and relational difficulties following prolonged or repeated trauma, often in childhood. ICD-11 recognizes Complex PTSD; DSM-5-TR does not yet have a separate diagnosis. Phase-based treatment is standard.
Prevalence: Prevalence uncertain; common in clinical populations
39 Therapeutic Approaches
Sorted by evidence tier: guideline-recommended first, then RCT-supported, then emerging/limited evidence.
Guideline-Recommended (2)
RCT-Supported (23)
Cognitive-Behavioral
CPT
Patricia Resick · 1992
Cognitive-Behavioral
DBT
Marsha Linehan · 1993
Trauma-Focused
EMDR
Francine Shapiro · 1989
Social Justice
Feminist Therapy
Various (Lerman, Brown, Worell, Enns) · 1970
Cognitive-Behavioral
Imagery Rehearsal Therapy
Barry Krakow · 1995
Somatic
NARM
Laurence Heller · 2012
Effect: Emerging; no large RCTs
Case series positive for dev trauma
Trauma-Focused
Narrative Exposure Therapy
Schauer / Neuner / Elbert · 2004
Cognitive-Behavioral
Seeking Safety
Lisa Najavits · 2002
Trauma-Focused
Structural Dissociation
Onno van der Hart, Ellert Nijenhuis, Kathy Steele · 2006
Cognitive-Behavioral
TF-CBT
Cohen / Mannarino / Deblinger · 2006
Trauma-Focused
Adaptive Disclosure
Brett Litz & colleagues · 2017
Somatic
Advanced Integrative Therapy
Asha Clinton · 2002
Trauma-Focused
Brainspotting
David Grand · 2003
Expressive
Dance/Movement Therapy
Marian Chace · 1942
Psychedelic
EMBARK
Brennan / Belser · 2022
Attachment
Emotionally Focused Individual Therapy
Sue Johnson / Leslie Greenberg (adapted) · 2012
Trauma-Focused
Flash Technique
Philip Manfield · 2016
Family Systems
IFS
Richard Schwartz · 1995
Psychedelic
MDMA-Assisted Therapy
MAPS / Mithoefer · 2021
Somatic
Neurofeedback
Barry Sterman / Joel Lubar · 1968
Expressive
Sandtray Therapy
Dora Kalff (Jungian) / Various · 1956
Somatic
Somatic Experiencing
Peter Levine · 1997
Somatic
Trauma-Sensitive Yoga
David Emerson / van der Kolk · 2005
Emerging / Limited Evidence (14)
Psychoanalytic
AEDP
Diana Fosha · 2000
Expressive
Art Therapy
Naumburg / Kramer · 1940
Trauma-Focused
Attachment-Focused EMDR
Laurel Parnell · 2013
Family Systems
Contextual Therapy
Ivan Boszormenyi-Nagy · 1973
Psychoanalytic
Ego State Therapy
John & Helen Watkins · 1997
Somatic
Hakomi
Ron Kurtz · 1980
Psychedelic
Holotropic Breathwork
Stanislav Grof / Christina Grof · 1976
Integrative
IPNB
Daniel Siegel · 1999
Postmodern
Narrative Therapy
Michael White / David Epston · 1990
Somatic
Polyvagal-Informed Therapy
Porges / Dana · 2011
Psychedelic
Psychedelic Harm Reduction & Integration (PHRI)
Various (Gorman, Nielson, Gael) · 2015
Psychoanalytic
Relational Psychoanalysis
Stephen Mitchell / Lewis Aron · 1988
Social Justice
Relational-Cultural Therapy
Jean Baker Miller / Judith Jordan · 1976
Somatic
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
Pat Ogden · 1981
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