Trauma lives in the mind and the body, and recovery usually needs both. Here is every approach with evidence, ranked, from trauma-focused therapy to body-based and newer treatments.
PTSD is treatable, and many people recover fully. The strongest evidence is for trauma-focused therapies that help the brain process what happened. Body-based practices help calm the nervous system and make therapy easier to do.
The list below is ordered by strength of evidence. Each card shows the approach, what it involves, what the research found, and who provides it.
PsyCare+ is a directory, not a medical provider. Use this guide to talk with your clinician. If you are in crisis, call or text 988 (Suicide and Crisis Lifeline) or go to the nearest emergency room.
Enter your ZIP code. We will list providers under every approach below.
Recommended first by clinical guidelines. Start here.
Structured therapies, usually 8 to 16 sessions, that help you process the trauma and loosen its grip. Recommended above medication by major guidelines.
Evidence: VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for PTSD, 2023; American Psychological Association PTSD guideline
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing pairs recalling the memory with guided eye movements. Recommended as a first-line trauma therapy.
Evidence: VA/DoD guideline, 2023; NICE guideline NG116
Backed by good trials. Works well alongside first-line care.
Certain antidepressants (sertraline, paroxetine, fluoxetine, venlafaxine) reduce PTSD symptoms and are recommended when therapy is not available or not enough.
Evidence: VA/DoD guideline, 2023
Physical activity reduces PTSD and depression symptoms when added to usual care.
Evidence: Rosenbaum et al., Psychiatry Research, 2015 (meta-analysis)
Smaller or mixed studies. Many people find these helpful as add-ons.
Yoga reduced PTSD symptoms in a meta-analysis of trials, and helps many people reconnect safely with their body.
Evidence: Cramer et al., BMC Psychiatry, 2018 (meta-analysis)
Meditation practices lead to modest improvements in PTSD symptoms across trials.
Evidence: Hilton et al., Psychological Trauma, 2017 (meta-analysis)
Some trials show reduced PTSD symptoms, but the evidence is limited. Best used alongside trauma-focused therapy.
Evidence: Grant et al., Journal of Trauma and Dissociation, 2018 (meta-analysis)
Used by many to lower physical tension and arousal. Research specific to PTSD is limited.
Evidence: Evidence specific to PTSD is limited.
Still being studied, or reserved for when first treatments have not worked.
An injection near a nerve cluster in the neck. One controlled trial showed reduced PTSD symptoms at eight weeks. Still being studied.
Showed strong results in phase 3 trials, but the FDA declined to approve it in August 2024. Available only in research.
Evidence: Mitchell et al., Nature Medicine, 2021 (phase 3 trial)
Be listed under your approach, in your ZIP code, next to the evidence.