Complex PTSD occurs when a person has been exposed to a long-term trauma, such as ongoing domestic violence, forced prostitution, being held hostage or long-term childhood abuse. Most people who suffer from complex PTSD experience problems with regulating their emotions, memory problems, dissociation, difficulty trusting others, having stable relationships, and problems with self-perceptions of guilt, shame, helplessness and belonging. Complex PTSD is a challenging disorder to cope with and usually requires a combination of treatments. Therapy Therapy for complex PTSD usually happens in three phases: preparation; trauma-processing; and sustainment. In the first phase, the therapist prepares the patient for processing painful memories by discussing what the patient can expect to experience and what the possible outcomes will be. This phase is crucial because it helps the patient prepare for what may be an uncomfortable experience. The preparation phase removes as much surprise from the process as possible in order to make the patient feel ready to handle the upcoming challenge. The second phase is often the most emotionally taxing as it requires the patient to process the trauma that he or she experienced. For some patients, this may mean talking through the traumatic events, describing them in as much detail...