In recent years, one in every eight Poles has been involved in a road traffic accident. In the aftermath, many are affected by symptoms described by psychologists and psychiatrists as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Psychologists study the mental wellbeing of people who have been involved in such accidents, and also provide therapies helping them resume their normal activities.

Psychotherapy as an evidence-based clinical practice is a relatively young field. In defining psychotherapy, we will outline a continuum – from the use of psychological methods to improve well-being to psychotherapy as an evidence-based method of treating mental disorders. We discuss the types of outcome research, metaanalyses and recommendations for practice. Based on the example of research program TRAKT on psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy PTSD conducted in Poland, we will point out important questions of modern psychotherapy regarding the interpretation of research results, patient safety, personalization of treatment and ways of development and its place in the mental healthcare.

W ostatnich latach co ósmy Polak był uczestnikiem różnego rodzaju wypadków drogowych. Dla wielu jest to doświadczenie wywołujące zaburzenia opisane przez psychologów i psychiatrów jako PTSD - pourazowe zaburzenie stresowe. Psychologowie nie tylko badają stan uczestników wypadków, lecz także stosują terapie umożliwiające im powrót do normalnego życia.