Can six short writing sessions ease PTSD in underserved patients?

NCT ID NCT05330442

Ongoing Symptom relief Sponsor: RAND Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

First seen Aug 14, 2026 · Last updated Aug 14, 2026

Summary

This trial tests whether Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief six-session therapy involving guided writing about a traumatic event, can reduce PTSD symptoms in adults receiving care at Federally Qualified Health Centers. The study enrolls 720 English- or Spanish-speaking adults with PTSD who use these centers as their usual source of care. Researchers aim to see if this short, practical therapy can be effectively delivered within collaborative primary care and improve PTSD and depression outcomes.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.

Active substance: Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief behavioral therapy involving six 30-minute sessions with writing exercises
What this could lead to: If effective, this brief therapy could offer a practical, scalable way to reduce PTSD symptoms in underserved patients who lack access to longer treatments.
What could go wrong: The trial is still testing effectiveness, and results may not generalize beyond community health centers. As a behavioral therapy, benefits depend on patient engagement and therapist delivery.

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Conditions

The condition(s) this trial relates to.

post-traumatic stress disorder

As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

PTSD

Contacts and locations

Locations

Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center (Main)

Brooklyn, New York, 11216, United States
Bedford Stuyvesant Family Health Center (Sterling and Broadway)

Brooklyn, New York, 11216, United States
Brownsville Health Center (Genesis and Ashford - BGA)

Brooklyn, New York, 11212, United States
Brownsville Health Center (Main)

Brooklyn, New York, 11212, United States
OIC Family Medical Center (Fairview)

Rocky Mount, North Carolina, 27801, United States
OIC Family Medical Center (Happy Hill)

Rocky Mount, North Carolina, 27804, United States
Oak Orchard Health (Pembroke)

Corfu, New York, 14036, United States
Oak Orchard Health Center (Albion)

Albion, New York, 14411, United States
Open Door Family Medical Center (Brewster/Ossining)

Ossining, New York, 10562, United States
Open Door Family Medical Center (Mamaroneck//Port Chester)

Port Chester, New York, 10573, United States

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