its like a family tree only its diagnosis, symptoms, causes kind of stuff... example

PTSD branches out into the symptoms nightmares, panic anxiety

PTSD ------> Nightmares / panic / anxiety

then each of those branches out into the causes for them...

nightmare about swimming ----> drowning trauma

Panic/anxiety ---->fear of Water ----->Drowning trauma

basically it shows the cause and effect, what caused this symptom what caused that one, why is this person affected the way they are and how have they been affected type stuff.

the more you break down the cause and effects of a trauma the more the client and the therapist can see whats what and how to help..

its also another way of putting whats going on down on paper instead of it left bouncing around the clients head due to their being triggered when trying to talk. this way they dont necessarily have to talk but they are still able to process through things by putting things in some sort of organized way..