Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) psychoeducation is increasingly offered in diverse cultural settings. As the literature offers theoretical arguments for why such information might be normalizing and distress-reducing, or might risk morbid suggestion of greater vulnerability, a two-sided hypothesis was proposed to examine the specific effect of PTSD psychoeducation. Participants of a trauma healing and reconciliation intervention in Burundi were randomized to conditions with and without PTSD psychoeducation, or to a waitlist control. Both interventions reduced symptoms more than the waitlist. Participants in the condition without psychoeducation experienced a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms relative to other conditions. Findings are discussed in relationship to intervention development for traumatic stress in nonindustrialized and culturally diverse settings.