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One of our approaches
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
CPT stands for Cognitive Processing Therapy. It’s a structured, time-limited approach developed for PTSD, built around looking closely at the beliefs a traumatic event left behind.
What happened was not your fault. But the beliefs it left behind can still be worked with.
How it works
The idea behind it
After something traumatic happens, it’s natural to try to make sense of it. Often, though, the explanations we land on cause more pain than the event itself. Beliefs like “it was my fault,” “I can’t trust anyone now,” or “I’m permanently broken” are understandable. But they tend to keep you stuck long after the event is over.
CPT is built on the idea that these beliefs, not just the memory itself, often drive ongoing guilt, shame, anger, or feeling unsafe. The therapy calls them stuck points. You work through them one area at a time: safety, trust, power, control, self-worth, and closeness. The goal is a more accurate, less punishing way of understanding what happened. Not forced positivity. Actually looking at the evidence.
In session
What a session looks like
CPT usually starts with writing a short impact statement: how the event has changed what you believe about yourself, other people, and the world. That gives you and your clinician a starting map of your stuck points.
From there, sessions are structured and often use worksheets, some done together and some between sessions. You’ll learn to spot unhelpful thinking habits, like jumping to conclusions or ignoring evidence that doesn’t fit a belief. Then you apply that skill to your own stuck points, one area at a time. Some versions of CPT also include writing a detailed account of the event; others focus only on the belief work.
Sessions are usually weekly. Your clinician tracks how you’re doing with questionnaires along the way, so you can both see the shift as it happens.
Frequently asked questions
Is this covered by insurance?
The approach doesn’t change the coverage. Most extended health plans cover sessions with a Registered Counselling Therapist or Registered Social Worker. Call the number on your benefits card and ask. We bill most major insurers directly, so you only pay what your plan doesn’t cover; otherwise you get a receipt after every session.
How many sessions will it take?
It depends on you and what you’re working on. By session two you’ll have a written plan, and every few sessions we check in with the same short questions so you can see what’s changing. You can stop at any time.
Does it work online?
Yes. We offer every approach in person in Dartmouth and by secure video anywhere in Nova Scotia. If one of them works better in person, we’ll tell you.
Does it cost more?
No. Whichever approach we use, it’s included in your standard session fee. See fees and insurance.
Ready when you are.
You don’t need to choose an approach before you book. That’s our job, together with you, in the first two sessions.