Complex Trauma vs Depression: Why You May Still Feel Stuck After Therapy

You have been struggling with depression and trying to find a way out.

Maybe you have tried antidepressants or therapy. Maybe you have been trying to manage it on your own. You may be struggling with exhaustion, difficulty concentrating, low motivation, withdrawal, sleep problems, shame, or feeling disconnected from yourself and other people.

You may know you are depressed. What may be less clear is why you continue to feel this way.

If you live in Alaska or other northern parts of the United States or Canada, you may have wondered whether seasonal darkness is contributing. Perhaps you have tried light therapy, vitamin D, or other strategies to help you through the winter.

And yet, something still has not changed.

There may be another part of the picture worth considering.

Have you experienced traumatic events or difficult experiences in your life?

If so, it may be worth exploring whether those experiences are also contributing to some of the symptoms you are experiencing now.

Depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and Complex PTSD (CPTSD) can share symptoms. They can also occur together. Research has found substantial overlap between depressive symptoms and trauma-related disorders, which means understanding what is contributing to your symptoms can be important when deciding what kind of treatment may help (Angelakis & Nixon, 2015; Flory & Yehuda, 2015; Fung et al., 2022).

This does not mean that depression is necessarily caused by trauma.

It means that if trauma is part of your history, understanding whether it is also part of what you are experiencing now may change how your symptoms are understood and treated.

Depression and Complex Trauma: Why They’re Easy to Confuse

Depression and Complex PTSD are different conditions, but they can share several symptoms.

Both may involve:

  • low mood

  • difficulty experiencing pleasure

  • fatigue or low energy

  • sleep problems

  • difficulty concentrating

  • withdrawal from other people

  • negative beliefs about yourself

  • feelings of worthlessness or shame

  • difficulty maintaining relationships

  • difficulty imagining a more hopeful future

From the outside, these symptoms may look like depression.

The difference becomes clearer when we look beyond the symptoms themselves and ask what else is happening alongside them.

Complex PTSD includes the core symptoms of PTSD, along with additional difficulties involving emotion regulation, a persistently negative self-concept, and relationships with other people (Brewin, 2020; World Health Organization, 2019).

Someone experiencing Complex PTSD may therefore describe depression while also experiencing patterns such as strong emotional reactions, difficulty recovering after becoming upset, persistent shame, feeling fundamentally damaged or worthless, difficulty trusting or feeling close to others, avoidance, intrusive trauma memories, or feeling persistently on guard.

Depression and Complex PTSD can also occur at the same time, so the question is not always:

“Is this depression or trauma?”

Sometimes the more useful clinical question is:

“What is contributing to these symptoms, and are we treating all of it?”

That distinction matters because an accurate understanding of the symptoms can help guide treatment toward the problems that are actually present.

What Is Complex PTSD?

Complex post-traumatic stress disorder (CPTSD) is a trauma-related diagnosis recognized in the World Health Organization's International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision (ICD-11).

Complex PTSD includes the core symptoms of PTSD:

  • re-experiencing aspects of the trauma

  • avoiding reminders of what happened

  • a persistent sense of current threat, which may include feeling on guard or being easily startled

It also includes additional difficulties involving:

  • emotion regulation

  • a persistently negative view of yourself

  • relationships and feeling connected to other people

Complex PTSD is particularly associated with prolonged or repeated traumatic experiences from which escape was difficult or impossible, although the diagnosis is based on the person's symptoms, not simply the number or type of traumatic experiences they have had (Brewin, 2020; World Health Organization, 2019).

This is one reason Complex PTSD can sometimes be mistaken for depression. Someone may first notice exhaustion, withdrawal, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, shame, low mood, or feeling disconnected from other people without recognizing that trauma-related symptoms are also present.

Why an Accurate Diagnosis Matters for Treatment

When depression and PTSD or Complex PTSD occur together, recognizing both conditions can influence treatment planning.

Research illustrates how substantial this overlap can be. In one international study of 410 adults with clinically significant depressive symptoms, 62.7% met criteria for either PTSD or Complex PTSD on the International Trauma Questionnaire (Fung et al., 2022). Because this was an online convenience sample, the finding should not be interpreted to mean that 62.7% of people with depression have PTSD or Complex PTSD.

In a primary care study, 36% of patients with depression screened positive for PTSD (Campbell et al., 2007). Looking at the relationship from the other direction, research has also found high rates of major depressive disorder among people with PTSD (Flory & Yehuda, 2015).

The numbers vary across populations and studies, but the larger finding is consistent: depression and trauma-related disorders frequently overlap.

Depression-focused treatment can be effective for depression. Antidepressant medication, cognitive behavioral therapy, behavioral activation, and other evidence-based approaches help many people with depressive disorders.

When PTSD is also present, however, treating depressive symptoms alone may leave important trauma-related symptoms unaddressed.

Research has found that PTSD and major depressive disorder frequently occur together and that this combination can be associated with greater symptom severity, functional impairment, and a more complicated course of treatment (Angelakis & Nixon, 2015; Flory & Yehuda, 2015).

There is also encouraging evidence that treating PTSD can improve more than PTSD symptoms. Trauma-focused psychotherapies for PTSD can also produce meaningful reductions in co-occurring depressive symptoms (Flory & Yehuda, 2015).

This helps explain why understanding the full clinical picture matters.

If someone is experiencing depression along with intrusive memories, avoidance, heightened reactions to reminders, persistent shame, difficulty regulating emotions, or longstanding relationship difficulties connected to traumatic experiences, treating depression alone may not address everything contributing to the symptoms.

Sometimes what has been described as treatment-resistant depression may warrant a broader assessment to determine whether another condition, including PTSD or Complex PTSD, has not yet been identified.

This does not mean that persistent depression is necessarily misdiagnosed trauma.

It means that when depression is not improving as expected, assessing for trauma-related disorders may provide important information about what else needs to be treated.

Depression Can Have Different Contributors

Depression does not have one single cause.

Symptoms can develop through a complex combination of biological, psychological, social, environmental, and life-experience factors. Trauma may be one contributor. Seasonal changes may be another. Genetics, medical conditions, medications, chronic stress, grief, sleep disruption, substance use, and other factors may also contribute.

This is why two people experiencing similar symptoms may need different assessments and treatment plans.

For example:

Seasonal Depression

Seasonal affective disorder, now diagnosed as major depressive disorder with a seasonal pattern, occurs when depressive episodes follow a recurring seasonal pattern.

For people living in Alaska and other northern regions, substantial changes in daylight across the year can affect circadian rhythms, sleep, energy, and mood.

Treatment may include light therapy, psychotherapy, medication, or a combination of approaches, depending on the individual.

Major Depressive Disorder

Major depressive disorder can involve persistent sadness or low mood, loss of interest or pleasure, changes in sleep or appetite, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt, and other symptoms that significantly affect daily functioning.

There is no single cause of major depressive disorder. Biological vulnerability, genetics, stressful life experiences, medical factors, and environmental influences can all play a role.

Evidence-based treatments include psychotherapy, antidepressant medication, and other interventions selected according to the person's symptoms, history, preferences, and clinical needs.

Depression Alongside PTSD or Complex PTSD

Depressive symptoms can also occur alongside PTSD or Complex PTSD.

In these cases, someone may experience low mood, exhaustion, loss of interest, sleep problems, difficulty concentrating, or hopelessness while also experiencing trauma-related symptoms such as intrusive memories, avoidance, heightened reactions to reminders, persistent shame, emotion regulation difficulties, or relationship problems.

The important distinction is not simply what the depression looks like.

It is understanding what conditions and experiences may be contributing to the symptoms.

That is why a thorough assessment matters. Treatment can then be selected based on the clinical picture rather than assuming that similar symptoms necessarily have the same explanation.

The Different Types of Depression, and Why it Matters

Not all depression is the same, and this is perhaps the most important thing to understand.

The same set of depressive symptoms may have entirely different causes, and therefore require entirely different interventions. One person's depression may develop after traumatic events; another's may be related to biological, inflammatory, or seasonal factors. Although the symptoms may look identical, the treatment needs are fundamentally different.

Here's a simplified breakdown:

* Seasonal Depression (SAD): Driven by reduced daylight, disrupted circadian rhythms, and lowered serotonin and melatonin dysregulation. In Alaska, this is a significant concern; Fairbanks residents experience Seasonal Affective Disorder at rates nearly ten times higher than the national average. Evidence-based treatments include light therapy, CBT specifically adapted for SAD, and SSRIs. These approaches work well; for depression that is primarily seasonal in nature.

* Biological/Clinical Depression: Driven by neurobiological, genetic, and sometimes inflammatory factors. Responds well to antidepressant medication, structured psychotherapy (CBT, behavioral activation), and lifestyle interventions.

* Trauma-Related Depression (CPTSD): Driven by unresolved traumatic experiences and their impact on the nervous system, self-concept, and relational capacity. Requires trauma-focused treatment. Antidepressants and standard depression-focused therapy may reduce symptoms temporarily, but without addressing the underlying trauma, lasting recovery is often elusive.

Researchers specifically note that seasonally-related depression may require light therapy, while trauma-related depression requires trauma-focused psychotherapy; highlighting that treatment must match the underlying mechanism, not just the surface symptoms.

Could Trauma Be Contributing to Your Depression?

Depression and Complex PTSD can look similar, which is one reason the distinction is not always obvious.

You may notice patterns that extend beyond low mood, fatigue, or loss of interest.

In Your Emotions

  • emotions that feel difficult to regulate

  • becoming overwhelmed quickly

  • feeling emotionally numb or disconnected

  • intense or persistent shame

  • reactions that seem stronger than the present situation would explain

In Your Relationships

  • difficulty trusting other people

  • wanting connection while also pulling away from it

  • difficulty feeling close to others

  • being highly sensitive to rejection, criticism, or changes in another person's mood

  • recurring relationship difficulties that are hard to understand or change

In How You See Yourself

  • persistent feelings of worthlessness

  • feeling damaged, defective, or fundamentally different from other people

  • difficulty recognizing your own strengths or value

  • difficulty imagining a positive future

In Trauma-Related Symptoms

  • intrusive memories or nightmares

  • avoiding reminders of what happened

  • feeling on edge or easily startled

  • strong reactions to reminders of past experiences

  • sleep disruption

  • difficulty concentrating

In Your Treatment History

You may also have received treatment for depression and experienced only partial improvement, or found that some symptoms improved while other longstanding patterns remained.

None of these experiences by themselves mean that you have Complex PTSD.

Depression, PTSD, Complex PTSD, anxiety disorders, grief, sleep disorders, medical conditions, and other concerns can share symptoms. A thorough clinical assessment looks at your symptoms, trauma history, when the difficulties began, how they affect your life, and how the different pieces fit together.

The goal is not to search for trauma behind every experience of depression.

It is to recognize when trauma may be an important part of the clinical picture that deserves further assessment.

A Grounding Exercise to Try

Reading about depression and Complex PTSD may bring up difficult thoughts, emotions, memories, or physical reactions.

If you notice yourself becoming overwhelmed, Drop Anchor is a grounding exercise adapted from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy that can help bring your attention back to what is happening here and now.

Drop Anchor

Step 1 — Notice what is happening

Without trying to change it, notice what you are experiencing.

You might say:

“I notice I'm feeling anxious.”

“I notice my chest feels tight.”

“I notice a difficult memory is coming up.”

You do not have to solve anything right now. Just notice.

Step 2 — Connect with your body

* Press your feet firmly into the floor. Feel the weight of your body in your chair or wherever you are standing.

* Now imagine you are in a boat, and there are waves all around you. The waves are your difficult thoughts and feelings, moving, shifting, sometimes crashing.

* Take a slow breath. Bring your attention down into the center of your body, your pelvis, your hips, the lowest and heaviest part of you. This is the hull of your boat. This is where your anchor lives.

* As you breathe out, feel that anchor release from your center, dropping slowly, deliberately, down through the water below you.

* Past the current. Past the motion of the surface. Until it comes to rest on the solid, still floor of the ocean right beneath you.

* Feel it catch. Feel it hold. That line of stability runs from the floor of the ocean, up through the water, and into the center of your body. Your pelvis is heavy. Your hips are grounded. The anchor below you is holding the whole of you in place. Feel it hold the core of you in the boat securely.

* The anchor does not stop the waves. It doesn't need to. It simply keeps you from being carried away. The waves bump against the boat, and then they move on. They move by you and past you.

* You are not the waves. You are the boat, held steady by the anchor below.

* Notice your feet on the floor. Your back against the chair. Your hands in your lap. The breath moving in and out of your body. You are grounded. You are held.

Step 3 — Notice your surroundings

From this anchored place, simply notice what is around you; not analyze, just observe.

"I feel the anchor holding me steady. The waves are here, but they are not taking me. I can see land. When the waves settle, I can return to shore. For now, I am on the deck, and the anchor is holding me."

You don't have to go anywhere. You don't have to do anything. Just notice that you are still here, and that you are safe enough.

Step 4 — Return to what matters

Take another slow breath and notice what you want to do next.

You might continue reading, take a break, get a drink of water, step outside, contact someone supportive, or return to another activity.

The goal of grounding is not to make difficult thoughts or emotions disappear.

It is to help you stay connected to the present while those experiences are there.

Drop Anchor is a stabilization skill, not a treatment for Complex PTSD. Skills like this can be used during trauma treatment to support present-moment awareness and emotional regulation while deeper therapeutic work occurs.

If you want more ways to calm your nervous system request the free guide: Nervous System Regulation Guide

Treating Trauma When Depression Is Also Present

If an assessment identifies PTSD or Complex PTSD alongside depression, treatment can address the trauma-related symptoms that may be contributing to the overall clinical picture.

EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based psychotherapy used to treat PTSD and other trauma-related concerns.

EMDR Therapy helps process distressing experiences and the thoughts, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations associated with them.

This can be important when someone understands what happened in the past, yet continues experiencing symptoms such as:

  • intrusive memories

  • nightmares

  • anxiety or panic

  • emotional triggers

  • avoidance

  • persistent shame or negative beliefs

  • difficulty regulating emotions

  • sleep problems

  • reactions that seem connected to past experiences

EMDR does not require you to describe every detail of a traumatic experience. Treatment follows a structured process that includes history taking, assessment, preparation, stabilization, trauma processing, and reevaluation.

When depression occurs alongside PTSD, treating the trauma may also help with depressive symptoms. Research has found that evidence-based PTSD treatments can produce meaningful improvements in co-occurring depression as PTSD symptoms improve (Flory & Yehuda, 2015).

This does not mean that treating PTSD automatically resolves depression. Depression may require additional treatment depending on the individual and what is contributing to the symptoms.

The goal is to understand the full clinical picture and treat the conditions that are actually present.

Learn More About EMDR Therapy

Why Consider EMDR Intensive Therapy?

Traditional EMDR Therapy is often provided in weekly appointments. For many people, this format works well.

EMDR Intensive Therapy offers another way to structure the same treatment.

EMDR Intensive Therapy uses the same EMDR treatment approach, with treatment concentrated into several consecutive days within one week. Instead of beginning the work, stopping when the appointment ends, and returning the following week, an intensive provides focused time for assessment, preparation, trauma processing, stabilization, and integration.

Each treatment day includes structured therapy blocks, breaks, grounding, nervous system regulation, and integration time, allowing the work to progress at a pace that supports your nervous system readiness and individual needs.

For someone with multiple traumatic experiences or longstanding patterns connected to trauma, the intensive format provides dedicated treatment time to work through clinically appropriate targets across consecutive days.

This format may also be practical for people who:

  • have limited access to specialized trauma treatment

  • live in rural or remote communities

  • travel for treatment

  • have demanding work schedules

  • prefer concentrated treatment rather than weekly appointments

  • have already participated in therapy and are ready for focused trauma work

Research on intensive trauma-focused treatment, including intensive EMDR Therapy, has found substantial reductions in PTSD symptoms in appropriately selected patients, including individuals with complex presentations (De Jongh & Hafkemeijer, 2024; Greenwald & Camden, 2024).

Intensive treatment is not appropriate for everyone. Readiness for trauma processing, emotional regulation, current stability, dissociation, substance use, available supports, medical considerations, and other clinical factors should be assessed before beginning an intensive.

For individuals who are appropriate for this format, EMDR Intensive Therapy provides focused time to address trauma-related symptoms without dividing the treatment process into weekly appointments.

Learn More About EMDR Intensive Therapy

Depression, Trauma, and Alaska's Seasonal Darkness

Living in Alaska brings dramatic seasonal changes in daylight that can affect sleep, energy, mood, and daily rhythms. Winter-pattern seasonal affective disorder is more common among people living farther north, where winter daylight hours are shorter (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024).

Research suggests that seasonal changes in daylight can affect serotonin, melatonin, and the body's daily rhythms, contributing to changes in sleep, mood, and behavior for people with seasonal affective disorder (National Institute of Mental Health, 2024). Symptoms may include low mood, fatigue, increased sleep, difficulty concentrating, changes in appetite, and loss of interest in activities.

For someone with a trauma history, this can make the picture more difficult to understand.

You may wonder:

Is this seasonal depression?

Is this depression that happens throughout the year?

Could trauma be contributing to what I am experiencing?

Could more than one of these things be happening at the same time?

That last question is important.

Seasonal depression, major depressive disorder, PTSD, and Complex PTSD are not mutually exclusive. Someone can experience more than one condition, and symptoms such as sleep problems, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, withdrawal, and low mood can overlap.

One clue may be the pattern of symptoms over time.

If symptoms reliably emerge during darker months and improve as daylight returns, a seasonal pattern may warrant consideration.

If symptoms such as intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, strong reactions to reminders, persistent shame, difficulty regulating emotions, or longstanding relationship difficulties continue regardless of season, a trauma-related condition may also warrant assessment.

The goal is not to decide for yourself which diagnosis fits.

The goal is to understand why you are experiencing these symptoms so treatment can address what is actually contributing to them.

For people living in rural or remote areas of Alaska, access to specialized trauma treatment can present another challenge. Telehealth has expanded access to EMDR Therapy throughout the state, while intensive treatment can provide another option for individuals who prefer concentrated treatment or who may need to travel for specialized care.

Trauma Recovery Institute provides telehealth EMDR Therapy throughout Alaska and in-person EMDR Intensive Therapy in Fairbanks.

Learn More About EMDR Intensive Therapy in Alaska

Who Might Consider EMDR Intensive Therapy?

EMDR Intensive Therapy may be an option for individuals who have experienced trauma and are ready for focused trauma treatment.

You may want to explore an intensive format if:

  • depression occurs alongside trauma-related symptoms

  • you have experienced multiple or longstanding traumatic events

  • previous therapy has helped, but trauma-related symptoms remain

  • you experience intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, or strong reactions to reminders

  • persistent shame or negative beliefs are connected to past experiences

  • trauma has affected your relationships or daily functioning

  • you have difficulty accessing specialized trauma treatment where you live

  • weekly appointments are difficult to maintain because of work, travel, or location

  • you prefer a concentrated treatment format

Having one or more of these experiences does not automatically mean that an EMDR intensive is the right treatment for you.

Before intensive trauma processing begins, it is important to assess your trauma history, current symptoms, emotional regulation, dissociation, coping resources, current stability, available supports, and readiness for focused trauma work.

Some individuals may benefit from additional preparation or stabilization before trauma processing. Others may be better served by weekly therapy or another treatment approach.

A consultation provides an opportunity to look at what you are experiencing, discuss your treatment history and goals, and determine whether EMDR Therapy or EMDR Intensive Therapy may be an appropriate next step.

Schedule an Intensive Therapy Consultation

If You Have Been Struggling With Depression

If you have been struggling with depression and have also experienced trauma, both parts of your history deserve attention.

Depression does not automatically mean that you have PTSD or Complex PTSD. Having experienced trauma does not automatically mean that trauma is causing your depression.

What matters is understanding the pattern of symptoms you are experiencing and what may be contributing to them.

If you also experience intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, strong reactions to reminders, feeling persistently on edge, difficulty regulating emotions, persistent shame or negative beliefs about yourself, or longstanding difficulties in relationships, a trauma-focused assessment may help clarify whether PTSD or Complex PTSD is also part of the clinical picture.

For some people, identifying a trauma-related condition provides an explanation for symptoms they have struggled to understand for years.

More importantly, understanding what is contributing to your symptoms can help identify treatment that addresses what you are actually experiencing.

If trauma is part of the picture, evidence-based trauma treatment such as EMDR Therapy may be one treatment option to consider.

For individuals who are appropriate for a concentrated treatment format, EMDR Intensive Therapy provides focused treatment across several consecutive days within one week.

A consultation can help determine whether EMDR Therapy, EMDR Intensive Therapy, additional stabilization, or another treatment approach may be appropriate for your needs.

Schedule Your Intensive Therapy Consultation

Frequently Asked Questions About Complex Trauma and Depression

Can Complex PTSD look like depression?

Yes. Complex PTSD and depression can share symptoms such as low mood, fatigue, difficulty concentrating, withdrawal, sleep problems, negative beliefs about yourself, and difficulty experiencing pleasure.

Complex PTSD also includes the core symptoms of PTSD along with difficulties involving emotion regulation, negative self-concept, and relationships. A clinical assessment can help determine which symptoms and conditions are present.

Can you have depression and Complex PTSD at the same time?

Yes. Depression and trauma-related disorders can occur together.

Research has found substantial overlap between depressive symptoms, PTSD, and Complex PTSD. This is one reason it is important not to assume that the presence of one condition rules out another (Angelakis & Nixon, 2015; Flory & Yehuda, 2015; Fung et al., 2022).

How do I know if my depression is related to trauma?

There is no single symptom that can determine whether depression is related to trauma.

A clinician may look at your trauma history, when symptoms began, the pattern of symptoms over time, and whether you also experience trauma-related symptoms such as intrusive memories, nightmares, avoidance, strong reactions to reminders, hypervigilance, persistent shame, emotion regulation difficulties, or relationship difficulties.

Can trauma cause depression?

Traumatic experiences can be associated with an increased risk of depression, and PTSD and major depressive disorder frequently occur together.

However, depression can have many contributing factors, including biological vulnerability, genetics, stressful life experiences, medical conditions, sleep disruption, seasonal changes, substance use, grief, and other psychological and environmental factors.

Experiencing trauma does not necessarily mean that trauma is the cause of someone's depression.

Why might depression treatment help only partially?

There are many possible reasons.

Depression may be persistent or recurrent. Treatment may need to be adjusted. Medical, sleep, substance-related, environmental, or other psychological factors may be contributing.

Another possibility is that another condition is present alongside depression.

If PTSD or Complex PTSD has not been identified, depression-focused treatment may improve some symptoms while trauma-related symptoms remain.

A broader assessment can help determine whether there is more than one condition contributing to what you are experiencing.

Can treating PTSD or Complex PTSD improve depression?

It can.

Research indicates that trauma-focused treatments for PTSD can also reduce co-occurring depressive symptoms for many individuals (Flory & Yehuda, 2015).

That does not mean trauma treatment will resolve every case of depression. Depression may require its own treatment depending on the individual and the factors contributing to it.

Is EMDR Therapy used for Complex PTSD?

EMDR Therapy is an evidence-based treatment for PTSD and is also used clinically with individuals who have complex trauma presentations.

Treatment for Complex PTSD should be individualized. Assessment, preparation, stabilization, readiness for trauma processing, current symptoms, available supports, and other clinical factors can influence how EMDR Therapy is structured.

Can seasonal depression and trauma-related symptoms happen together?

Yes.

Someone can experience a seasonal pattern of depression while also experiencing PTSD, Complex PTSD, or another condition.

For people living in Alaska and other northern regions, noticing when symptoms occur and which symptoms change with the seasons can provide useful information during assessment.

About Dr. Yvette Curtis 

Dr. Yvette Curtis, PsyD, LPC, MAC, is a Doctor of Psychology, licensed professional counselor, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, and Master Addiction Counselor with more than 15 years of clinical experience treating trauma and trauma-related concerns.

She has provided EMDR Therapy since 2011 and specializes in EMDR Intensive Therapy for PTSD, complex trauma, and trauma-related symptoms and concerns.

Dr. Curtis has extensive experience working with military personnel, veterans, Alaska Native and Indigenous populations, first responders, and individuals with complex trauma histories.

EMDR Intensive Therapy is available in person in Fairbanks and via telehealth throughout Alaska. Destination intensive therapy may also be available for individuals traveling to Alaska when legally and clinically appropriate.

Learn More About Dr. Curtis

Schedule an Intensive Therapy Consultation

Professional referrals and article shares are always welcome.

Continue Learning

If you'd like to learn more about trauma, depression, EMDR Therapy, and evidence-based treatment, these articles may help:

References

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Brewin, C. R. (2020). Complex post-traumatic stress disorder: a new diagnosis in ICD-11. BJPsych Advances, 26(3), 145–152. doi:10.1192/bja.2019.48

Campbell, D. G., Felker, B. L., Liu, C. F., Yano, E. M., Kirchner, J. E., Chan, D., Rubenstein, L. V., & Chaney, E. F. (2007). Prevalence of depression-PTSD comorbidity: Implications for clinical practice guidelines and primary care-based interventions. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 22(6), 711–718.

Cloitre, M., Garvert, D.W., Brewin, C.R., Bryant, R.A., & Maercker, A. (2013). Evidence for proposed ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD: A latent profile analysis. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 4, 20706.

De Jongh, A., & Hafkemeijer, L. C. S. (2024). Trauma-focused treatment of a client with Complex PTSD and comorbid pathology using EMDR therapy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 80(4), 824–835.

Flory, J. D., & Yehuda, R. (2015). Comorbidity between post-traumatic stress disorder and major depressive disorder: Alternative explanations and treatment considerations. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 17(2), 141–150.

Fung, H.W., Chien, W.T., Lam, S.K.K., & Ross, C.A. (2022). Investigating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and complex PTSD among people with self-reported depressive symptoms. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 13, 953001.

Gai, Y., & Berle, D. (2025). The Association of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Depression: A Network Approach. Clinical psychology & psychotherapy, 32(4), e70125.

Greenwald, R., & Camden, A. A. (2024). A pragmatic randomized comparison of intensive EMDR and intensive PC for victims of crime. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 16(1), 134–142.

Karatzias, T., Hyland, P., Bradley, A., Cloitre, M., Roberts, N. P., Bisson, J. I., & Shevlin, M. (2019). Risk factors and comorbidity of ICD-11 PTSD and complex PTSD: Findings from a trauma-exposed population based sample of adults in the United Kingdom. Depression and Anxiety, 36(9), 887–894.

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National Institute of Mental Health. (2024). Seasonal affective disorder. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health.

Rosen, V., Ortiz, N.F. & Nemeroff, C.B. (2020). Double Trouble: Treatment Considerations for Patients with Comorbid PTSD and Depression. Curr Treat Options Psych7, 258–274. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40501-020-00213-z

Rytwinski, N. K., Avena, J. S., Echiverri-Cohen, A. M., Zoellner, L. A., & Feeny, N. C. (2014). The relationships between posttraumatic stress disorder severity, depression severity and physical health. Journal of health psychology, 19(4), 509–520. https://doi.org/10.1177/1359105312474913

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World Health Organization. (2019). International classification of diseases (11th ed.). https://icd.who.int

Disclaimer

This article is for educational purposes only and does not constitute psychotherapy, diagnosis, or treatment. Reading this content does not create a therapeutic relationship with Dr. Yvette Curtis or Trauma Recovery Institute. Dr. Yvette Curtis provides psychotherapy services to individuals located in Alaska. Individuals outside Alaska may participate in educational services or destination intensive therapy where legally appropriate. If you are experiencing thoughts of suicide or self-harm, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline or seek emergency medical assistance.

© 2026 Trauma Recovery Institute | Dr. Yvette Curtis, PsyD, LPC, MAC | All Rights Reserved

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