Abstract: Military sexual trauma (MST) can encompass sexual assault and harassment and has been shown to be pervasive across militaries, disproportionately affecting women. The most common psychological consequence is posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study sought to synthesize the treatments that demonstrate effectiveness in treating PTSD symptoms resulting from MST in women Veterans.

Abstract: First-line treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), ie, trauma-focused therapy, while effective, is limited by low treatment initiation, high dropout, and high treatment refraction. The objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of TCTSY vs firstline cognitive processing therapy (CPT) in women veterans with PTSD related to military sexual trauma (MST). In this comparative effectiveness randomized clinical trial, TCTSY was equivalent to CPT in reducing PTSD symptom severity, with both groups improving significantly. The higher treatment completion rate for TCTSY indicates its higher acceptability as an effective and acceptable PTSD treatment that could address current VA PTSD treatment limitations.

Abstract: Individuals who suffer from trauma-related symptoms are a unique population that could benefit from the mind-body practice of yoga—or have their symptoms reactivated by it, depending on the type of yoga. Trauma-informed yoga (TIY) may ameliorate symptoms by creating a safe, tailored practice for students to learn how to respond, rather than react, to symptoms and circumstances. Findings revealed that TIY needs to emphasise beneficial practices (e.g., diaphragmatic breath and restorative postures), consider contraindications (e.g. avoiding sequences that overly engage the sympathetic nervous system) and adapt to limitations and challenges for teaching in unconventional settings (e.g., prisons, VA hospitals). TIY for veterans must additionally consider gender- and culture-related barriers, differing relationships to pain and injury, and medication as a barrier to practice.