Written Exposure Therapy (WET)

A structured, military-developed trauma therapy — not journaling, but healing through the written word.

Trauma impacts the nervous system, memory, and sense of safety in the world. For many people, speaking about trauma can feel overwhelming — or simply impossible.

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) offers a different path.
Developed and researched through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs to support military members and veterans, this structured method provides a safe, evidence-based way to process trauma through guided writing, not talk-only therapy.

Instead of retelling your story out loud, you move through the healing process privately on paper — while still supported by a trained trauma therapist.

This is not journaling.

It is exposure therapy through a pen.

What the Program Looks Like

Written Exposure Therapy (WET) is a brief but powerful protocol: 5 sessions

Each session includes:

  • 30 minutes of psychoeducation, preparation, and guided instructions
  • 30 minutes of supervised therapeutic writing

During the writing portion, you are not alone — your therapist remains present to provide support, safety, and grounding as needed. You do not need to read your writing aloud; the healing comes from the internal processing and structured exposure, not storytelling performance.

This combination allows your brain and body to gently face and process traumatic memories, releasing patterns of avoidance and reducing trauma symptoms over time.

Written Exposure Therapy

How WET Helps

This method is especially supportive when:

  • Talking about trauma feels too vulnerable
  • Your nervous system shuts down or becomes overwhelmed during verbal processing
  • You want an efficient, research-supported trauma therapy
  • You prefer privacy and internal reflection as part of your healing
  • You’re a first responder, veteran, or high-performance professional used in military mental-health settings

WET has been shown to:

  • Reduce PTSD symptoms
  • Improve emotional regulation
  • Reduce avoidance patterns
  • Support nervous-system healing
  • Create meaningful change in a short period

A Grounded, Compassion-Forward Approach

Throughout the 5-session protocol you receive:

  • Clear guidance and gentle structure
  • Trauma-informed support
  • Education on how trauma affects the brain and body
  • Techniques to regulate emotions and nervous-system responses
  • Space to process quietly, without pressure to speak before you’re ready

The goal is not to push or retraumatize — but to help your internal system finally release what has been held inside.

Healing Without Having to Speak Every Detail

Your story stays yours.
Your voice returns in your own time.
The writing becomes your path to reclaiming calm, safety, and power.

If you’ve been waiting for a private, effective way to process trauma — without needing to retell everything out loud — this method may feel like a breath of possibility.

Ready to Begin Your Five-Session WET Program?

You don’t have to talk your way through trauma to heal from it.

Sometimes the pen is the safest, strongest voice we have.

You deserve a therapeutic approach that honours your pace, your privacy, and your courage.

Book a consultation to learn whether Written Exposure Therapy is right for you.

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