Trauma Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy

Author(s):  
Frederic Busch ◽  
Barbara Milrod ◽  
Cory Chen ◽  
Meriamne Singer

This book, which operationalizes and articulates in detail a unique, brief, tested psychodynamic psychotherapy for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Trauma Focused Psychodynamic Psychotherapy [TFPP], describes how to perform this helpful treatment. The book provides tailored psychodynamic background that underpins these approaches, and explains the different phases of treatment. Additionally, it articulates common underlying dynamics of PTSD that the treatment commonly addresses in patients to bring about symptomatic relief. TFPP is being tested in two diverse populations: military Veterans with PTSD who are receiving care at three Veterans Administration Hospitals, and also among LGBTQ patients with PTSD. The book is focused on the authors’ experiences treating Veterans and many clinical examples are provided demonstrating how to work with these principles and approaches. In general, patients and therapists have found the treatment to be an extremely useful tool. Veterans have gained insight into the impact of traumatic experiences on various aspects of their lives and had improvements in dissociation, interpersonal engagement, anxiety, and anger/hostility. TFPP appears to be particularly effective for patients with prominent avoidance symptoms and those who are unwilling or unable to recount the details of their trauma directly. Patients have been found to be more affectively engaged and better connected to others (including the therapist) following treatment.

Author(s):  
Frederic N. Busch ◽  
Barbara L. Milrod ◽  
Cory K. Chen ◽  
Meriamne B. Singer

This chapter provides descriptions and clinical examples to illustrate core psychodynamic techniques as they are adapted to the work of trauma-focused psychodynamic psychotherapy (TFPP): clarification, confrontation, interpretations, and utilization of patient dreams. Clarification aids the patient in gaining distance and objectivity. Confrontation is designed to help patients recognize contradictory thoughts and feelings. Interpretations tie observed behaviors or thought patterns to the emotional dynamic factors that may give rise to them. Because a core symptom of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) involves re-experiencing traumas through dreams, a focus on the approach to dreams is particularly relevant in this population, and TFPP is the only operationalized psychotherapy for PTSD that makes active use of dreams to gain an understanding of emotional causes of distress. The chapter also illustrates the use of the transference and its interpretation and describes common countertransference constellations that arise. Due to the nature of the impact of trauma, transference and countertransference reactions can be particularly intense and ways that the therapist can effectively use these reactions to guide the treatment are discussed.


2005 ◽  
Vol 27 (suppl 2) ◽  
pp. s65-s72 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leslie Born ◽  
Shauna Dae Phillips ◽  
Meir Steiner ◽  
Claudio N Soares

Women are at significantly higher risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) than men, resulting in increased psychosocial burden and healthcare related costs. Recent research has shown complex interactions between the impact of traumatic experiences, and the reproductive lifecycle in women. For example, women suffering from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD) who also report a history of sexual or physical abuse are more likely to present with different neuroendocrine reactivity to stressors, when compared to premenstrual dysphoric disorder subjects without prior history of trauma or abuse or non-premenstrual dysphoric disorder subjects. In addition, women with a history of abuse or trauma may experience re-emergence of symptoms during pregnancy. Lastly, females who experience miscarriage may present with even higher prevalence rates of post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms. In this manuscript we examine the existing data on gender differences in post-traumatic stress disorder, with particular focus on psychological and physiological factors that might be relevant to the development of symptoms after exposure to traumatic events associated with the reproductive life cycle. Current options available for the treatment of such symptoms, including group and counselling therapies and debriefing are critically reviewed.


2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 483-489
Author(s):  
Carlos Reyes Valenzuela ◽  
María José Martos-Méndez ◽  
Amalio Blanco Abarca ◽  
Rubén Blanco

Los recientes estudios en priming perceptivo se han centrado en identificar las diferencias entre población con y sin Trastorno por Estrés Postraumático (TEPT) confirmando la hipótesis que el TEPT representa un trastorno de la memoria. En este trabajo, se pretende abordar el priming en personas que han estado expuestas a diversas experiencias traumáticas relacionadas con el desplazamiento forzado. Para ello se diseñaron tres categorías de palabras “trauma” (i.e., de amenaza, emocional y judicial) y una categoría de palabras “neutra”, las cuales compartían su raíz de tres letras en 44 colombianos refugiados y solicitantes de asilo que residen en Ecuador con presencia o ausencia de TEPT. Los resultados confirman que las personas con TEPT presentan mayor priming perceptivo en las categorías de amenaza y emociones y los solicitantes de asilo en la categoría judicial. Se discuten las implicaciones para los estudios que abordan el impacto de violencia política. In line with the hypothesis that PTSD is a memory disorder, recent studies on perceptual priming have focused on identifying the differences between population with and without Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). This study addresses priming in people who have been exposed to traumatic experiences of forced displacement. To that end, three categories of the word “trauma” (i.e., of threat, emotional and judicial) and a category of “neutral” words, which shared their three-letter root were chosen. The participants were 44 Colombian refugees and asylum seekers living in Ecuador with or without PTSD. The results of our study point that people with PTSD have higher perceptual priming in the threat and emotional categories, and asylum seekers show higher priming in the judicial category. The implications for studies that address the impact of political violence are discussed.


Author(s):  
Macarena Vallejo-Martín ◽  
Ana Sánchez Sancha ◽  
Jesús M. Canto

Refugees represent a population whose living conditions have a strong impact on their mental health. High rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), more than other mental disorders, have been found in this group, with women having the highest incidence. The objective of the present systematic review was to identify and examine studies from the last fifteen years on the relationship between the impact of traumatic experiences and PTSD psychopathology in refugee women. Twelve studies were included, from which the overall results approved this relation. In addition, six of these studies show that exposure to sexual trauma in refugee women is associated with the high odds of being at risk for PTSD. These findings suggest that gender-related traumatic experiences can explain the high rate of PTSD in refugee women and highlight the unmet need for psychosocial health care in this population.


2020 ◽  
pp. bmjmilitary-2020-001622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dominic Murphy ◽  
C Williamson ◽  
J Baumann ◽  
W Busuttil ◽  
N T Fear

IntroductionData are emerging showing the adverse consequences on mental health of the general public due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Little is known about the needs of veterans with pre-existing mental health difficulties during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsData were collected through a cross-sectional online survey from a randomly selected sample (n=1092) of military veterans who have sought help for mental health difficulties from a veteran-specific UK-based charity. The response rate was 25.2% (n=275). Participants were asked to complete a range of standardised mental health outcomes (post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD): Post-traumatic Stress Disorder Checklist, common mental health difficulties (CMDs): 12-Item General Health Questionnaire, difficulties with anger: 5-Item Dimensions of Anger Reactions—Revised and alcohol misuse: Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test) and endorse a list of potential stressors related to changes to daily life resulting from COVID-19. Regression analyses were fitted to explore predictors of mental health severity.ResultsIt was observed that symptoms of common mental disorder and PTSD (69.3% and 65.0%, respectively) were the most commonly reported to have been exacerbated by the pandemic. Lack of social support and reporting increasing numbers of stressors related to COVID-19 were consistently associated with increasing severity of a range of mental health difficulties.ConclusionsOur findings suggest veterans who had pre-existing mental health difficulties prior to the outbreak of COVID-19 may be at increased risk of experiencing CMDs as a result of the pandemic. Intervening to improve levels of social support and offering practical guidance to better manage any additional stressors relating to the pandemic may provide strategies to help reduce the burden of mental health symptoms.


Author(s):  
Luvuyo G. Sifo ◽  
Maake J. Masango

This article investigates the impact of spousal violence on children. Spousal violence in the home affects children negatively and its impact goes beyond their childhood years into adulthood. Some children become dysfunctional in life as a result of their exposure to violence between their parents. These children may exhibit symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) later on in life. A case study of a family exposed to violence was undertaken. Findings from this case scenario were measured against existing literature. A pastoral care method of responding to the victims is proposed in order for them to be healed.


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