What is WET? 

 

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is an effective, short-term therapy for people experiencing PTSD. WET can help you find new ways to think about your traumatic experience and bring relief from PTSD symptoms. Over the course of approximately 5 sessions, you will write about what you were thinking and feeling during the traumatic event and then discuss that writing session with your therapist.  

 

A growing body of research indicates that WET is effective in treating PTSD across a variety of populations and types of traumas. WET is effective whether you have experienced a single traumatic event, many traumatic events, or prolonged abuse. WET has worked well for people who have experienced combat, rape, sexual assault, childhood trauma, violence, natural disasters, and other types of traumas. WET is also recognized as a first-line PTSD treatment by the US Department of Veterans Affairs.

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How can WET help me? 

WET can help you process your trauma memories to reduce the emotional distress you feel. It is common for people with PTSD to feel as if their trauma is too difficult to think or talk about. PTSD can also change the way you think about yourself and the world.  WET aims to help you: 

• Improve your understanding of PTSD

• Process your trauma memories and reduce distressing feelings related to your memories of the trauma 

• Examine the impact trauma has had on your thoughts and feelings

• Develop new ways of thinking about the trauma and its meaning

• Develop a more balanced view of yourself and the world 

• Reduce feelings of fear, anxiety, anger, guilt, and shame

• Improve your day-to-day life 

 

Many people who complete WET therapy also report additional benefits, such as improved mood, increased engagement in enjoyable activities, and a better quality of life. 

 

What can I expect during WET treatment? 

 

After completing a clinical intake and assessment, you will meet with your therapist once a week for approximately 5 sessions. WET therapy has 3 main parts: 

 

1. Education about PTSD and Written Exposure Therapy 

2. Completing a written trauma narrative and reflecting on the impact of trauma

3. Processing the writing with your therapist 

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Your therapist will first teach you about PTSD and explain how WET treatment works. Each session will include 30 minutes of structured writing time. You will be asked to answer specific writing prompts about your traumatic experience that are designed to help you focus on your deepest thoughts and feelings about the event. This will help you process difficult memories, thoughts, and emotions. In later sessions, you will be asked to reflect upon the impact the trauma has had on your life. Your therapist will help you stick with this writing in session. After each writing session, you and your therapist will process the experience of writing in session. 

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What if I have multiple traumas or “complex” trauma? 

 

WET is effective for people who have experienced multiple traumas. Therapy will start by focusing on the traumatic experience that bothers you the most and then the focus can shift to other traumas as needed. 

 

What if my trauma occurred a really long time ago? 

 

WET can be effective whether your trauma occurred recently or many years ago.

 

Will I talk in detail about my trauma?

You will write in detail about your traumatic event during each session. This will help you better understand:

• how your PTSD symptoms may be related to your thoughts and feelings about the trauma,

• that your distress reduces with time, and 

• that memories themselves are not dangerous. 

 

Your therapist will read what you wrote in between sessions in order to provide you with feedback designed to help you get the most out of treatment. 

 

What if I'm not a good writer? 

You do not have to be a skilled writer to do Written Exposure Therapy. This is not school! Grammar, spelling, and punctuation do not matter at all. What matters is that you write about your deepest thoughts and feelings related to your trauma.   

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Can I type, or do I need to handwrite? 

You will handwrite your responses to the writing prompts in sessions. If you're not able to write by hand, you may be a good candidate for one of the other PTSD treatments offered, such as CPT, EMDR, or Prolonged Exposure.

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How long does WET treatment last? 

 

Many people complete WET treatment in 5 sessions lasting approximately 50-minutes long. Some clients require a few additional sessions. 

 

Can I do WET therapy online?

 

Yes! Written Exposure Therapy is effective whether it is done through online or in-person sessions. 

 

Will I have to do homework? 

 

No. You will be encouraged to think about your trauma memories, thoughts, and emotions between sessions instead of avoiding them. However, there will be no formal homework in between sessions. 

 

Will I be able to handle WET?  

 

Many people who come to WET therapy with this very same concern successfully complete treatment and see significant improvements. Examining your trauma memories can be difficult at first, but this exposure (i.e., the process of writing about the trauma memory) can help reduce your distress over time. Most people who complete WET find that the benefits outweigh any initial discomfort. The idea of focusing on the memories, thoughts, and feelings related to your trauma may seem scary right now, but these feelings are usually brief and improve with treatment. I invite you to talk to me about any questions, fears, or concerns you may have.

 

Are you ready to get unstuck and heal from the past?  

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