Toward a strengths-based approach to evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD: A qualitative comparison of veterans' and clinicians' perspectives.

OBJECTIVE

To explore and compare veteran and clinicians perspectives on veterans' strengths and ways strengths are used in care to promote engagement and recovery.

METHOD: We recruited veteran-clinician dyads from a rural Veterans Affairs Medical Center for qualitative interviews with veterans (n = 15) who had initiated a trauma-focused evidence-based psychotherapy (TF-EBP) with the dyad clinician (n = 8; some were interviewed about two veterans). They were interviewed about four types of veterans' strengths: coping skills, external supports, internal assets, and values/sources of meaning. We summarized and compared within-dyad responses.

RESULTS

Both veterans and clinicians reported discussing strengths at least once, but they were often underutilized. Psychotherapy coping skills, internal assets, and values/sources of meaning were most commonly integrated into TF-EBPs. External supports and complementary coping skills (e.g., yoga, walking) were infrequently integrated. Differences were observed between veteran and clinician perspectives: (a) some veterans identified relationships as supportive that clinicians believed worsened TF-EBP engagement and posttraumatic stress disorder recovery, and (b) clinicians noted many internal assets that veterans did not see in themselves.

CONCLUSION

Veterans bring many strengths to posttraumatic stress disorder therapy, yet these are often underused. There is a need to develop resources and adjunctive interventions for integrating strengths into TF-EBP delivery and to implement family involvement in care. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2026 APA, all rights reserved).