Table 1 Example Session Outline for Family Supported PE (Session 1)

Session 1

 A. Informed consent (15 min)

  a. Not couple therapy: Target is trauma-related distress, not family problems

  b. Structure of teammate attendance (3 sessions, phone calls)

  c. Confidentiality

 B. Factors that maintain PTSD and Overview of PE from PE Manual (20 min)

  a. Notice and reflect ‘approach’ talk (Motivational Interviewing)

 C. Motivational Interviewing (20 min)

  a. Importance Ruler: Veteran rates and discusses the importance of doing this treatment with their teammate

  b. Teammate repeats exercise

  c. Normalize ambivalence:

   i. Ask for agreement to talk about it as it occurs

   ii. Discuss what listener should do when doubt is expressed: listen, remind why doing this, encourage to continue

 D. Establishing what “teamwork” looks like in Family Supported PE (10 min): See Visual Aid

  a. What does it mean to do this ‘together’? What do each ‘do’? (team discusses)

  b. Draw parallel between building approach habits and other habit change (e.g., exercise or eating habits)

   i. Heaving lifting is between sessions (breaking a daily habit takes daily work)

   ii. Research shows those who lean into the home practice do best

  c. Teammate acts a workout buddy and rationale for having a workout buddy– see visual aid

   i. Initiate conversations about how treatment is going,

   ii. Encourage veteran to do PE tasks and face fears

   iii. Express your appreciation and commitment

   iv. Veteran: Encourages teammate to encourage YOU

 E. Introduce Step 1 in Catch Your PE Teammate Confronting PTSD Exercise (15 min)

  a. Rationale for noticing and expressing appreciation for approaching distress & doing PE

  b. Walk through how to use Catch Your Teammate Home Practice Forms

  c. Ask each for an example from the past week

 F. Abbreviated Trauma Interview from PE manual with veteran only (20 min)

  a. Talk to reporter(s) alone about any IPV reported in prior self-reports

 G. Breathing Retraining from PE manual with teammate present (10 min) and homework assignment

  a. Assign PE activities from PE manual

  b. Assign dyad to discuss together what was learned about avoidance