PTSD Resolution Conference 2025 Tackles Complex Trauma at Society's Margins

PTSD Resolution's 2025 Annual Conference, "Being Exceptional: The Challenge of Difference," brought together mental health professionals at The Victory Services Club on Saturday, 4 October, delivering powerful new approaches to treating trauma in society's most marginalised populations within the forces veterans' community.

The sold-out event featured leading experts addressing the intersection of trauma with addiction, poverty, criminal justice involvement, and safeguarding challenges. Attendees received 6 hours of CPD-certified training whilst engaging with cutting-edge research and practice-based evidence from the frontlines of trauma recovery.

Charles Highett, CEO of PTSD Resolution, said: "This conference exceeded our expectations in bringing together practitioners who truly understand the challenges of working with people on society's margins. The feedback from attendees has been overwhelmingly positive – they found real, practical solutions they can implement immediately in their work with veterans and other vulnerable populations."

Highlights from the Day

Dr Ben Grall, National Lead for Veterans at Change Grow Live, presented ground-breaking approaches to integrated care for veterans with co-occurring PTSD and addiction. His session, "No Veteran Left Behind," demonstrated how combining Human Givens Therapy with evidence-based addiction treatment is creating pathways to recovery for veterans previously considered unreachable. Dr Grall revealed that more veterans in the UK now die by suicide than in combat, making this integrated approach critical.

Carmen Kane and Chris Elliott introduced the innovative "Just What We Need – Veterans" (JWWN-V) programme, a 12-week therapeutic intervention adapted specifically for ex-service personnel. Elliott, himself a veteran and beneficiary of PTSD Resolution's services, brought lived experience to the presentation, demonstrating the power of veteran-led co-facilitation in group therapy settings.

Adrian McNulty, Director of Operations at Lucy Faithfull Foundation, delivered a challenging session on safeguarding and sexual abuse prevention, exploring the intersection of trauma, technology, and offending behaviour. His presentation on the Stop It Now helpline provided practical strategies for working in high-risk environments whilst maintaining therapeutic effectiveness.

Dr Sarah Troughton, NHS Veterans Network Clinical Lead, explored moral injury's impact on veterans and marginalised groups, examining how socioeconomic disadvantage compounds trauma. Her session highlighted the critical need to understand multiple morally injurious events in clients' lives.

Chris and Dr Julie Parsons from LandWorks shared remarkable success stories from their rehabilitation programme, reporting reoffending rates below 6% and employment rates above 90% for programme graduates. Notably, they revealed that 36% of their recent trainees report PTSD, up from 13% overall since 2013.

New Research Unveiled

Bill Andrews, PTSD Resolution's Research Coordinator, presented early findings from Project ITQ, utilising the International Trauma Questionnaire across hundreds of therapy cases. The data provides crucial insights into Complex PTSD in veterans and validates the effectiveness of treatment approaches for those outside mainstream clinical settings.

Charles Highett added: "The research presented today proves what we've long believed – that effective trauma treatment is possible even for those facing the most complex challenges. Our own data shows 82% of veterans complete their treatment programme, with up to 79% achieving reliable improvement for PTSD cases, all at just £940 per therapy course."

Looking Ahead

The conference's focus on "Being Exceptional" presented the challenge to move beyond tick-box approaches to genuine engagement with clients who don't fit traditional service models. Discussions throughout the day emphasised practical, evidence-based solutions rather than theo kkretical frameworks.

PTSD Resolution, which has treated over 5000 clients nationwide and has operated in 39 prisons across the UK, continues to expand its reach to veterans and families often excluded from other services. The charity's network of 200 therapists provides free, prompt treatment with no GP referral required. The charity's network of 200 therapists provides free, prompt therapy, with the first appointment usually available within 15 days of registration.

Charles Highett concluded: "Today's conference demonstrated the power of bringing together practitioners who work at the sharp end of trauma recovery. The insights shared will directly impact how we support veterans dealing with addiction, those in the criminal justice system, and people facing severe hardship. We're already looking forward to our 2027 conference."