'We the People' Petition Seeks Informed Choice of PTSD Treatments for Military Personnel and Veterans

    AUSTIN, TX, January 28, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Military personnel and veterans deserve a choice of evidence-based therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, they are usually limited to only two psychotherapies while civilians are treated routinely with a choice of all four effective, evidence-based PTSD treatments.

EMDR International Association has launched a petition under the White House's 'We the People' program to guarantee that all military personnel and veterans have an informed choice of evidence-based treatments for PTSD. Under the petition program, citizens can appeal to officials "to take action on a range of important issues facing our country." "If a petition gets enough support," the government website promises, "White House staff will review it, ensure it's sent to the appropriate policy experts and issue an official response." So, we need your support.

There are four recognized, evidence-based PTSD treatments:

- Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Prolonged Exposure (PE)
- Stress Inoculation Training (SIT)

Post-traumatic stress treatments at the Departments of Veteran Affairs (VA) and Defense (DoD) are usually limited to two of the above therapies, unlike civilians who have access to all four. The petition seeks to guarantee that all VA and DoD facilities provide trained clinicians who offer military personnel and veterans an informed choice of all recognized, evidence-based PTSD treatments.

EMDR is an effective, widely recognized trauma treatment, regarded as first line of treatment for PTSD in numerous national and international clinical practice guidelines. The VA's and DoD's very own Practice Guidelines (2010) lists EMDR therapy as "A strong recommendation that clinicians provide the intervention to eligible patients."

The World Health Organization identifies EMDR as one of two psychotherapies recommended for children, adolescents, and adults with PTSD. The military/veteran mental health system is being overwhelmed and needs all the evidence-based psychotherapies available as treatment options to alleviate human suffering and counteract the enormous wave of tragic outcomes owing to PTSD. Simply put, our military personnel and veterans deserve access to all evidence-based therapies.

To view and sign the petition, please go to:
https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/guarantee-all-military-personnel-and-veterans-have-informed-choice-evidence-based-ptsd-treatments/7HXjsZ34

Formed in 1995, the EMDR International Association is a professional association where EMDR practitioners and EMDR researchers seek the highest standards for the clinical use of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). The 18th Annual EMDR International Conference will be held from September 18-21, 2014 in Denver, Colorado.

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