Complex PTSD — CPTSD — is recognised in the ICD-11 as a distinct diagnosis from classical PTSD. It develops when trauma is not a single event but a sustained reality: prolonged childhood abuse, ongoing domestic violence, captivity, war zones, repeated medical trauma.
The three CPTSD-specific clusters (in addition to PTSD criteria)
1. Affective dysregulation: difficulty managing emotions, persistent sadness or rage, suicidal ideation, reactive intensity
2. Negative self-concept: profound feelings of worthlessness, shame, guilt — often framed as core identity rather than symptoms
3. Disturbances in relationships: difficulty feeling close to others, persistent avoidance of relationships, or intense, unstable attachments
Why CPTSD is distinct
Classical PTSD is the legacy of an event. CPTSD is the legacy of a period — often spanning developmental years. The result is that the trauma has shaped not just memory but personality structure, attachment style, baseline emotional regulation, and core beliefs about self.
Why CPTSD is often misdiagnosed
Sufferers are frequently labelled with:
The trauma origin is missed. The treatment misses.
The recovery path
Recovery from CPTSD is longer and more nuanced than recovery from single-event PTSD. It typically requires:
1. Trauma-informed clinical therapy (EMDR, trauma-focused CBT, somatic approaches)
2. De-sensitisation of the underlying anxiety response (where LAR Coaching contributes powerfully)
3. Re-building of attachment and self-concept (often relational therapy work)
4. Support, time and patience
Where LAR Coaching fits
We do not claim to be a complete CPTSD treatment. We are one important component — addressing the sensitised anxiety response that makes daily life feel chronically unsafe, and which underpins the panic, hypervigilance and reactivity of CPTSD.
Used alongside trauma-focused clinical care, the combination produces meaningful, durable change.
The next step
If any of this resonates, book a free 30-minute Recovery Call with one of our LAR Coaches. No pressure, no obligation — just a real conversation about what is happening to you and whether the LAR programme is the right fit. Sessions are delivered worldwide via Zoom, Phone or FaceTime.