Resources

 View the Official WHO ICD‑11 Diagnostic Criteria
This is the current global standard for recognising Complex PTSD. Learn how Complex PTSD is formally recognised and diagnosed worldwide. 

APS: PTSD Information
A guide to PTSD symptoms, causes, and treatments. A starting point for understanding trauma responses.

 Trauma Dissociation – Complex PTSD

This site provides easy-to-read explanations of what is PTSD vs C‑PTSD and,  explains the additional three symptoms of C-PTSD called Disturbances in Self‑Organisation (DSO). Additionally, it addresses the occurrence of symptoms that overlap between BPD to C-PTSD which may explain why one may experience misdiagnosis or potentially hold both diagnosis.

Explore therapy options for C‑PTSD
Find detailed information about treatments tailored to Complex PTSD, such as emotion regulation skills training, phase-based therapy approaches, and therapies designed to rebuild self-identity and improve relationships.

Compare therapies
This interactive guide compares common evidence-based PTSD therapies (e.g., CBT, EMDR, Prolonged Exposure). It helps you understand how each therapy works, how long it takes, and what you can expect from session,information that can guide informed decisions about treatment for PTSD or C‑PTSD.

A guide to psychological treatments
Explains the best treatments for PTSD, focusing on talking therapies like trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy (TF‑CBT), prolonged exposure (PE), cognitive processing therapy (CPT), and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR). Medicines can help in some cases, but therapy is the main treatment.

Meditation teacher - Tara Brach teaches mindfulness, meditation & emotional healing. She uses a blend of Western psychology and Eastern spiritual practices. Tara promotes inner mindfulness and a full, compassionate engagement with our world. 

Tara Brach’s   “Healing Trauma” podcasts  explores how trauma narrows our experience into fear, shame, and disconnection, and how mindfulness and compassion can help us reconnect with our wholeness. She shares practices for cultivating safety, bringing awareness to unprocessed pain, and using compassion to transform wounds into sources of healing and light.

A website that provides education, survivor stories, and practical resources specifically focused on Complex PTSD. It offers emotional support, awareness tools, and advocacy to help survivors feel understood and empowered in their recovery journey.

Explore their resources
This site offers videos, infographics, and worksheets designed to help people understand emotions, trauma responses, and coping strategies. These resources are beginner-friendly and designed to make complex concepts easy to grasp.

Explore their resources
Provides accessible schema therapy resources, including tools and educational materials that help clinicians and clients understand core emotional patterns and coping responses, supporting recovery from complex trauma and C‑PTSD.

Learn DBT skillsA podcast that is available on spotify or iTunes where DBT skills are explained quickly, simply and in an easy to understand manner. Skills aim to help with emotion regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. Many symptoms of which people with C-PTSD could benefit from given the DSOs discussed in "What is C-PTSD"

Free self-help resources
CCI provides practical self-help workbooks and information sheets for managing common challenges associated with trauma, such as anxiety, depression, and sleep problems. These resources are designed for both individuals, therapists and carers. Helpful for the co-morbidities in mental disorders commonly occurring with C-PTSD

Blue Knot Guidelines

Evidence-based treatment guidelines for working with survivors of complex trauma. Clinicians can access trauma-informed practice principles, therapist competencies, and organisational care recommendations.

 Australian guidelines for the prevention and treatment of posttraumatic stress disorder
Provides evidence-based guidance for treating PTSD, including tailored recommendations for people who have experienced sexual assault, intimate partner violence, military and emergency service trauma, as well as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, refugees, and asylum seekers.

Course

An online training module that teaches healthcare professionals practical skills for communicating safely and effectively with trauma survivors, reducing the risk of re‑traumatisation and improving engagement, particularly relevant for C‑PTSD care.

Read more about avoiding re-traumatisation

This article explains how healthcare providers can reduce the risk of re-traumatisation and build safe, supportive therapeutic environments,vital knowledge for both clinicians and supporters. 

Evidence-based treatment for a child/adolescent after a traumatic event: A Guide for GPs

Provides general practitioners with evidence-based guidance on supporting children and adolescents after traumatic events, including assessment tips, referral pathways, and treatment options to promote safe and effective recovery.

Evidence-based treatment for an adult after a traumatic event: A Guide for GPs

Outlines evidence-based approaches for general practitioners supporting adults after traumatic events, including screening, early intervention strategies, and treatment options tailored to patient needs.

International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ)Learn how to assess for both PTSD and C‑PTSD using validated tools. This website provides professional guidance on using structured assessment methods to capture both trauma symptoms and self-organisation difficulties.

Psychology Tools 

Provides clinicians with assessment tools, worksheets, and psychoeducation materials specific to PTSD, many of which are applicable to treating Complex PTSD within evidence‑based frameworks.

 Centre for Clinical Interventions Training – Professional workshops and training opportunities for clinicians looking to improve trauma-focused care.

Phase-based interventions are considered best practice for C‑PTSD because they prioritise safety before trauma processing. Phase 1 focuses on building coping skills, emotional regulation, and trust, which helps reduce symptoms and prepare individuals for the emotional intensity of trauma work (Hennessy et al., 2023). 

Skipping this stage can increase the risk of re‑traumatisation, as poorly timed trauma processing may overwhelm clients and worsen symptoms, especially in vulnerable settings like inpatient care (Grossman et al., 2021). A trauma-informed approach across all phases ensures treatment remains safe and supportive for long-term recovery (Treisman, 2024).

For clinicians wanting a clear understanding of how to approach complex PTSD (C‑PTSD) using phase-based treatment, The Complex PTSD Treatment Manual: An Integrative, Mind-Body Approach to Trauma Recovery by Arielle Schwartz (2021) is an excellent starting point. 

Chapter 2 outlines why phase-based treatment is recommended, focusing first on establishing stability and safety before progressing to trauma processing and reintegration. The book also explores therapeutic alliance as a foundation for recovery and integrates multiple evidence-informed approaches, including somatic psychology (Chapter 7), cognitive behavioural therapy and EMDR (Chapter 8), and working with parts, ego states, and dissociation (Chapter 6). Schwartz highlights the benefits of an integrative approach over eclectic methods, providing clinicians with practical guidance and treatment goals specific to C‑PTSD.