Can PTSD and cPTSD be Treated in Four Days?
Tracks
Ballroom 1 - In-Person & Virtual via OnAIR
| Tuesday, June 23, 2026 |
| 1:55 PM - 2:15 PM |
Overview
Dr Michelle Parker-Tomlin, Intensive Trauma Treatment Centre
Presenter
Dr Michelle Parker-Tomlin
Clinical Psychologist, Head of Clinical
Intensive Trauma Treatment Centre
Can PTSD and cPTSD be Treated in Four Days?
Presentation Overview
Background: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD are often chronic, disabling, and resistant to conventional treatment formats. Trauma-focused therapies such as Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) remain gold-standard interventions, yet high dropout rates, avoidance, and barriers to engagement frequently limit their effectiveness. Intensive trauma therapy has emerged internationally as a promising alternative capable of enhancing treatment adherence and outcomes.
Objectives: This case series explores the feasibility, safety, and preliminary outcomes of a four-day intensive trauma program for individuals with severe, chronic, complex and treatment-resistant PTSD.
Methods: The Intensive Trauma Treatment Centre (ITTC) piloted a structured program combining PE and EMDR 2.0, delivered as 16 alternating 90-minute sessions over four consecutive days. Participants comprised veterans, WorkCover clients, and self-referred individuals. PTSD durations ranged from 1.5 to 5 decades. Outcomes were evaluated at two pre-treatment baselines and four post-treatment intervals extending to six months.
Findings: All participants achieved remission from PTSD and complex PTSD alongside observable gains in functioning and emotional regulation. Notably, no adverse events, hospital admissions, or treatment dropouts occurred. Clients consistently reported high satisfaction, describing immersive engagement and accelerated progress compared with prior weekly therapy attempts. Results align with international intensive trauma programs, particularly the Dutch Psytrec model.
Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest intensive trauma therapy is a safe, feasible, and potentially transformative approach for chronic and complex PTSD. Larger controlled studies are required to confirm effectiveness, explore predictors of sustained remission, and examine potential benefits across comorbid conditions.
Three Key Learnings
1. Why trauma-focussed therapy often fails to work.
2. Whether intensive PTSD treatment can be implemented in Australia.
3. The effectiveness of intensive psychological treatment for PTSD and cPTSD.
Objectives: This case series explores the feasibility, safety, and preliminary outcomes of a four-day intensive trauma program for individuals with severe, chronic, complex and treatment-resistant PTSD.
Methods: The Intensive Trauma Treatment Centre (ITTC) piloted a structured program combining PE and EMDR 2.0, delivered as 16 alternating 90-minute sessions over four consecutive days. Participants comprised veterans, WorkCover clients, and self-referred individuals. PTSD durations ranged from 1.5 to 5 decades. Outcomes were evaluated at two pre-treatment baselines and four post-treatment intervals extending to six months.
Findings: All participants achieved remission from PTSD and complex PTSD alongside observable gains in functioning and emotional regulation. Notably, no adverse events, hospital admissions, or treatment dropouts occurred. Clients consistently reported high satisfaction, describing immersive engagement and accelerated progress compared with prior weekly therapy attempts. Results align with international intensive trauma programs, particularly the Dutch Psytrec model.
Conclusions: Preliminary findings suggest intensive trauma therapy is a safe, feasible, and potentially transformative approach for chronic and complex PTSD. Larger controlled studies are required to confirm effectiveness, explore predictors of sustained remission, and examine potential benefits across comorbid conditions.
Three Key Learnings
1. Why trauma-focussed therapy often fails to work.
2. Whether intensive PTSD treatment can be implemented in Australia.
3. The effectiveness of intensive psychological treatment for PTSD and cPTSD.
Biography
Dr Michelle Parker-Tomlin is a Clinical Psychologist and Head of Clinical at the Intensive Trauma Treatment Centre, where she supports the development and delivery of a high-impact, intensive evidence-based trauma intervention program. With over a decade of clinical experience, she has worked across diverse settings including public hospitals, university, primary health networks, community mental health, private practice, and intensive treatment programs. Her work spans both frontline clinical delivery and clinical research, with a strong focus on innovative models of care.
As a military veteran herself, she brings a unique, lived understanding of service-related trauma to her practice. Her personal and professional experiences drive a deep passion for advancing accessible, effective, and compassionate care for all people affected by trauma. She has a particular interest in intensive therapies and their potential to reduce barriers to care, increase treatment engagement, and accelerate recovery.
She is also a Clinical Supervisor and communication skills facilitator, affiliated with Griffith University, where she supervises Clinical Psychology interns enrolled in Master's and PhD courses and medical students. Her current clinical work focuses on implementing EMDR and Prolonged Imaginal Exposure within immersive treatment formats. She continues to contribute to clinical innovation, training, and research to improve trauma care.
