Several studies have compared the outcomes of psychotherapies applied following disasters or other forms of severe mental duress.
These reviews found a range in the effectiveness of the various methods studied for reducing trauma-based symptoms and improving functioning. The majority of approaches studied were variations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). CBT is considered by many to be the “Gold Standard” for treating serious psychological conditions.
However, other therapies were also included in the comparisons, such as meditation, play therapy with children, family therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Thought Field Therapy (TFT), and the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT).
EFT Tapping found to be one of the two most effective therapies in reducing PTSD symptoms at treatment endpoint and the most effective of the 17 interventions studied in retaining improvement in PTSD symptoms on follow-up.