A new low-cost therapy being trialled in Aotearoa could dramatically improve access to treatment for survivors of abuse, violence and trauma living with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Researchers from Waipapa Taumata Rau, the University of Auckland, say written exposure therapy has shown strong international results and could soon become available through GPs, health coaches and other frontline healthcare workers — rather than relying solely on specialist psychologists.
The therapy is now being tested through a research programme led by Professor Bruce Arroll at the Auckland City Mission, where participants are taking part in structured sessions designed to help process traumatic memories and reduce long-term PTSD symptoms.
Unlike traditional trauma therapies that can involve lengthy waitlists and expensive specialist treatment, written exposure therapy is brief and designed to work within primary healthcare settings. The programme involves five half-hour writing sessions where participants focus directly on traumatic experiences and their emotional impacts while being guided by trained facilitators.
Researchers say the therapy targets avoidance behaviour, considered one of the major factors that keeps PTSD active. Many people with trauma avoid confronting painful memories, but clinicians say this can allow symptoms such as anxiety, flashbacks, depression and emotional distress to continue for years.
The Auckland City Mission trial is currently testing whether the therapy works best when sessions are delivered once or twice weekly. Early results have shown significant improvements in PTSD symptoms among participants involved in the study so far.
Researchers say feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with some describing life-changing improvements in self-worth, emotional regulation and addiction recovery after decades of untreated trauma.
The project is also exploring how non-specialist health workers can safely deliver the therapy under supervision, potentially creating a more accessible mental health pathway for communities struggling to access specialist care.
Professor Arroll says PTSD often sits beneath other mental health conditions commonly treated in primary care, including anxiety, depression and substance abuse, but many GPs have traditionally avoided direct PTSD treatment due to time pressures and limited resources.
Health coaches and some GPs across the country are now being trained to provide the therapy in community settings, with researchers hopeful the model could eventually help close major treatment gaps within Aotearoa’s overloaded mental health system.
The research comes as demand for mental health services continues to outstrip available specialist support nationwide, particularly for survivors of family violence, sexual violence and long-term childhood trauma.
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