Paris, France: Returning to Paris on the 10th anniversary of the devastating terrorist attacks of 13 November, 2015, I reflect on both the tragedy of that night and the progress made since in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Coordinated attacks hit the Bataclan theatre, several restaurants and bars, and the Stade de France stadium almost simultaneously, claiming 130 lives and injuring more than 350 people.
The Bataclan concert hall was the site of the worst violence, where gunmen held attendees hostage and killed indiscriminately for hours before security forces intervened.
The attacks were widely regarded as the most violent to occur in France since WWII, sending shockwaves throughout the country and the world.
As a French-Canadian psychologist who developed a novel treatment for PTSD called reconsolidation therapy , I felt a responsibility to help in the aftermath.
Returning to Paris now is bittersweet, reflecting on the horror and resilience witnessed in 2015, and on the advances we are making at the Thompson Institute and National PTSD Research Centre.
Members of Eagles of Death Metal visit a memorial that pays homage to the victims of the terrorist attacks at Le Bataclan
Background: Understanding Reconsolidation Therapy
Reconsolidation therapy centres on a unique mechanism.
It helps individuals revisit, process and reduce the emotional intensity of traumatic memories through a carefully monitored six-session protocol.
This involves recalling the troubling event while under a low dose of propranolol , a medication shown to disrupt the reconsolidation of emotional memories - akin to editing and saving over a computer file.
The memory remains, but the content is edited - the emotional charge significantly diminished.
Unlike other therapies requiring lengthy time commitments, reconsolidation therapy typically consists of six 25-minute appointments, often yielding rapid relief from PTSD symptoms.
My work in developing this approach began in Canada over two decades ago, with pivotal results published in 2005.
By 2015, clinical trials supported the therapy's safety and efficacy and prepared my team to respond to the urgent needs following the Paris attacks.
Training Paris Clinicians: A Model for Rapid Response
In the immediate aftermath of the attacks, we partnered with Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris (AP-HP) , France's largest hospital network, to rapidly train more than 200 therapists across 20 centres.
These clinicians went on to treat 342 affected individuals, each of whom could choose between standard PTSD treatments - such as Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR), cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), hypnosis , or antidepressant medication - and reconsolidation therapy.
Remarkably, about three-quarters of participants opted to try the novel approach.
While both forms of treatment proved effective, reconsolidation therapy delivered results more quickly; after seven weeks, those who received it showed greater improvement than those who underwent other therapies.
From this intervention, three major insights emerged:
- Feasibility: Large groups of therapists can be efficiently trained to offer high-quality care
- Effectiveness: Reconsolidation therapy matches or outpaces traditional approaches, providing faster relief
- Cost-efficiency: The shorter treatment protocol reduces costs for providers and patients alike, with quicker recoveries
Professor Alain Brunet is training clinicians in reconsolidation therapy
Current Situation: Global Training and Local Innovation
Since the Paris attacks, reconsolidation therapy has reached a range of communities worldwide through the not-for-profit Reconsolidation Therapy International Association , which I founded in Canada in 2020.
Over 2,200 therapists have been trained for free in regions including Syria, Nepal, Lebanon, the Caribbean, Chile, and, most recently, Ukraine.
Every two years or so, new humanitarian interventions are launched - depending on philanthropic donations - allowing us to respond quickly where trauma needs outweigh local resources.
Key outreach initiatives have included:
- Training 151 therapists in Ukraine in 2015 amid ongoing conflict
- Deploying trainers to the Caribbean and Dutch islands post-Hurricane Wilma in 2018
- Funding and training 85 therapists in Lebanon after the 2020 Beirut port explosion
- Treating traumatised child refugees in Syria, an especially meaningful milestone
Here in Australia, the National PTSD Research Centre at USC has established a free clinic to deliver reconsolidation therapy to research participants, thanks to philanthropic support.
This clinic serves dual purposes: ongoing research into improved therapies and real-world aid for those struggling with PTSD.
Two workshops were held at the Centre this year, and further sessions are planned for 2026.
Interested clinicians are invited to register for updates through the Thompson Institute National PTSD Centre newsletter and website.
We continue to investigate the optimal evidence base for the therapy.
While treatments like EMDR and CBT are recommended globally for PTSD, they are sometimes less effective - or poorly tolerated - by veterans and military personnel.
Many find standard therapies too aversive or time-consuming, with high rates of dropout and relapse.
Reconsolidation therapy has shown strong promise as a fast, less aversive alternative.
Where to from Here? Expanding Horizons and Future Vision
Looking forward, the ambition is to broaden access to reconsolidation therapy for new populations.
Active conversations with the Australian Department of Veterans Affairs are underway, supported by a recent major research grant submission to the National Health and Medical Research Council .
While in Paris to commemorate the tragedy, I will also train an additional 60 clinicians, ensuring preparedness for future responses in France and beyond.
My message is one of resilience and hope: science can provide rapid, effective responses to the aftermath of terrorism and violence, demonstrating that PTSD is increasingly a treatable condition.
As climate change, armed conflict and disasters intensify the incidence of traumatic events globally, timely interventions such as reconsolidation therapy can play a crucial role in individual and public health.
The Paris attacks were a terrible tragedy - yet as a researcher, scientist, humanist, and psychologist, it was an opportunity to show the world we can quickly get victims back on their feet.
Current research at the National PTSD Research Centre is exploring ways to compress the therapy's timeline even further - from six weeks to just six days - with the goal of making PTSD as manageable as common illnesses.
The ultimate objective is to enable swift, effective recovery for anyone affected by trauma, anywhere in the world.
With sustained investment in research, training, and global collaboration, reconsolidation therapy is poised to redefine the treatment of trauma - helping people around the world recover and rebuild after life's most difficult events.
Professor Alain Brunet is director of the Thompson Institute and National PTSD Centre, and founder of the Reconsolidation TherapyTM Methode Brunet.
