Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a brief, evidence-based treatment designed to help individuals process traumatic experiences through structured writing sessions. Originally developed for PTSD, it is increasingly being explored for complex PTSD (CPTSD), especially when individuals are overwhelmed by memories, avoidance, or emotional numbing.
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What is Written Exposure Therapy?
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WET is a trauma-focused therapy that involves writing about a traumatic experience in a guided and repeated way. The goal is to help individuals confront and process painful memories, reduce avoidance, and integrate the trauma into their narrative in a way that reduces its emotional charge.
How It Works
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Duration:
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Typically 5 sessions (once a week), 30–40 minutes each.
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Can be adapted or extended in clinical settings for CPTSD.
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Structure of Sessions:
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Session 1: Introduction to the rationale for WET and explanation of how trauma affects the brain. The individual begins writing in detail about a single traumatic event, focusing on what happened, how it felt, and the most distressing parts.
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Sessions 2–5: Each session starts with a brief check-in and then the individual writes again about the same traumatic experience, with the goal of including more detail, emotional depth, or reflections on the meaning of the trauma.
Rules during writing:
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Write without stopping for about 30 minutes.
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Focus on thoughts, emotions, and sensory experiences.
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No censoring or editing — just free expression.
Ideal Candidates
WET may be particularly helpful for:
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Survivors of single-event trauma (or those who want to begin with one trauma before expanding).
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People who feel stuck in avoidance or shame but are not ready for high-intensity trauma work.
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Clients who are creative or introspective, and who prefer expressive methods like writing.