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Our Next Lecture

Clinical Practice Guideline for PTSD 2023: Medication & Other Biological Treatments

Paul Holtzheimer, MD

Wednesday, July 19 at 2:00pm ET 

About the Presenter

PAUL HOLTZHEIMER, MD is the Deputy Director for Research at the National Center for PTSD, Executive Division. He is a Professor of Psychiatry and Surgery at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth, and a staff psychiatrist at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center and the White River Junction VA Medical Center.  Dr. Holtzheimer was a member of the workgroup that developed the 2023 Clinical Practice Guideline (CPG) for PTSD.  His clinical and research interests include developing better interventions for PTSD and related disorders, especially for patients with treatment-resistant and comorbid illness. He has expertise in brain imaging and brain stimulation therapies (including transcranial magnetic stimulation, electroconvulsive therapy, vagus nerve stimulation, and deep brain stimulation). A primary aim of his research program is to better understand the neural circuitry of treatment-resistant PTSD, mood and anxiety disorders, and to use this information to develop and advance novel treatment approaches, with a particular emphasis on focal brain stimulation therapies. Dr. Holtzheimer obtained his MD at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth and an MS in clinical research from Emory University.

About the Topic

A VA/DoD workgroup completed a revision of the Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder in early 2023.  The guideline is based on a complete review of the traumatic stress research literature since the 2017 Guideline and provides recommendations for providers who treat Veterans.  In order to help clinicians become knowledgeable about the new recommendations and to assist them in providing care based on the latest evidence, this webinar will clearly explain the recommendations related to medications and other biological treatments, and discuss the clinical implications for providers treating veterans. 

Featured Article

Chronic Pain and PTSD

Chronic pain and PTSD can exacerbate each other, contributing to poor quality of life. Coordination among treatment care members can promote consistent messages about PTSD and chronic pain management. Good quality care will integrate treatment of the co-occurring conditions to help empower patients so that pain and anxiety do not stop them from meaningful engagement in their life.

Read the full version of this recently updated article

Free Resources

Using AboutFace: Real PTSD Stories

AboutFace is an educational website that explains PTSD using video stories and easy-to-read text from real Veterans, family members and VA treatment providers to help explain the experience of living with PTSD and the benefits of effective PTSD treatment.

AboutFace encourages Veterans to seek treatment—and it's also a useful tool for clinicians and Peer Specialists. Download the guides below to learn how to incorporate AboutFace into your clinical practice.

• AboutFace Clinician Guide (PDF)
• AboutFace Peer Specialist Guide (PDF)

Explore the newly redesigned website:

Online Course for Family Members

Community Reinforcement and Family Training (CRAFT) - Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is a free web-based course for family members of Veterans working to manage PTSD. This course teaches family members how to encourage their Veteran to get treatment and support them during care. CRAFT-PTSD also offers tools for family members to improve their own quality of life.

Learn more about CRAFT-PTSD 

Are you treating U.S. Veterans?

Our team of expert clinicians is available to consult with any healthcare provider treating U.S. veterans in any setting.   We can discuss assessment, diagnosis, psychotherapy, medications, collaborating with VA care, patient and family education, continuing education, and just about anything else related to veterans and PTSD.  No question is too big or too small. Contact us at PTSDconsult@va.gov or 866-948-7880.