Addressing pandemic-related guilt and shame in U.S. military veterans: A pilot randomized controlled trial of trauma-informed guilt reduction and supportive care therapy.

Summary: The COVID-19 pandemic forced many people to make incredibly hard choices. For some U.S. military veterans, these choices led to deep feelings of guilt and shame. To help them heal, researchers tested two talk therapies: Trauma-Informed Guilt Reduction (TrIGR) and Supportive Care Therapy (SCT).

Seventy-two veterans tried six sessions of either therapy. The good news is that both therapies helped the veterans feel much less guilt and shame. However, TrIGR worked faster to reduce shame. Also, for veterans who already suffered from PTSD, TrIGR was much better at lowering their guilt over time. This shows that while basic support is helpful, specific trauma therapy is the best choice for veterans dealing with PTSD.