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Numerical Distraction Therapy: Initial Assessment of a Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

3550 Watt Avenue, Suite 140, Sacramento, California 95821, johnsisaacs{at}msn.com

The efficacy of a new therapy, numerical distraction therapy (NDT), in treating symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was investigated. It was hypothesized that the therapy would change the traumatic visual memories of PTSD patients and reduce the intensity of negative feelings associated with them. Both hypotheses were supported: 92% of patients reported post-treatment (positive) changes in their visual memories, and these same patients reported diminished levels of fear, shame, anxiety and other negative feelings. A subsample of patients reported stable treatment effects in follow-up surveys conducted two to four months later. The author also discusses possible mechanisms of NDT and suggests that NDT, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), and some forms of thought field therapy (TFT) might have "dual attention" as a common underlying mechanism.

Key Words: Numerical Distraction Therapy • NDT • PTSD treatments • dual-attention therapies • EMDR • TFT

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