The EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol for Patients With Cancer

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 199-207 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Jarero ◽  
Lucina Artigas ◽  
Susana Uribe ◽  
Laura Evelyn García

Experiencing cancer is a peculiar stressor within the infrastructure of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) because this debilitating disease involves ongoing stressors and is both acute and potentially chronic. The experience can include a wide range of associated adverse events, such as tumor detection, diagnosis, severity of disease, and prognosis; aggressive treatment; disfigurement and bodily dysfunction; side effects of treatment; impaired physical, social, and occupational functioning; and sometimes, recurrence and diagnosis of terminal illness. This article provides a detailed description of the clinical application of the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (EMDR-IGTP) Adapted for Adolescents and Adults Living with Ongoing Traumatic Stress for the patients with cancer. This protocol administers the eight phases of EMDR individual treatment to a group of patients using an art therapy format (i.e., drawings) and the butterfly hug (a self-administered bilateral stimulation method to process traumatic material). A previous study (Jarero et al., 2015) showed that after 6 sessions of EMDR-IGTP, there was a significant decrease in PTSD symptoms related to the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancer in adult women. Effects were maintained at 90-day follow-up. In this article, we discuss how this protocol can be used to effectively provide intensive EMDR treatment to large groups of patients, and we provide detailed instructions for its provision to address one of the major psychological dimensions of cancer: the ongoing traumatic stress responses experienced by patients with cancer. A clinical example illustrates the treatment process.

2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 58-70
Author(s):  
Sik-Lam Wong

This case study investigated the effects of an eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR)-based divorce recovery group, consisting of four modalities: (a) modified EMDR Integrative Group Treatment Protocol adapted for adolescents and adults living with ongoing traumatic stress (EMDR-IGTP-OTS) to deal with the trauma from the divorce, (b) modified Affect Circuit Reset protocol to reduce intensity of negative affects, (c) psychoeducation on affects and divorce-related issues, and (d) small group discussion. The divorce recovery program is an attempt to provide an affordable, trauma-focused intervention for divorce recovery for low-income populations. This report summarizes the outcomes in a divorce recovery group of six women, all Chinese immigrants. Aside from one person in the midst of divorce, the group consisted of individuals divorced for 7 years or more, for whom the distress had lasted more than the 2 to 3 years typical of divorce recovery. Short Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Rating Interview (SPRINT) scores collected at the beginning of week 2, at the end of week 7, and at the beginning of week 8 showed PTSD symptoms dropping from severe to mild. The mean SPRINT scores at 6 weeks and 13 weeks after treatment continued to decrease, approaching the no/minimal symptom range. The SPRINT scores showed a 65.6% reduction between week 2 (18.0 [SD = 8.4]) and 13 weeks after treatment (6.2 [SD= 5.5]), with a large effect size of d = 1.40, and a significant decrease of t(4)=4.0, p = .016.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fredrike Bannink ◽  
Nicole Geschwind

Positive CBT integrates positive psychology and solution-focused brief therapy within a cognitive-behavioral framework. It focuses not on reducing what is wrong, but on building what's right. This fourth wave CBT, developed by Fredrike Bannink, is now being applied worldwide for various psychological disorders. An introductory chapter explores the three approaches incorporated in positive CBT. Next, the book presents research into the individual treatment protocol for use with clients with major depressive disorder by Nicole Geschwind and colleagues at Maastricht University. The last chapters describe two 8-session treatment protocols for positive CBT, one for use with individuals and one for use with groups. The treatment protocols provide therapists with a step-by-step guide on how to apply positive CBT with individual clients and in group therapy. This approach goes beyond symptom reduction and instead focuses on the client’s preferred future, on finding exceptions to problems and identifying competencies. Topics such as self-compassion, optimism, gratitude, and behavior maintenance are explored. In addition to the protocols, two workbooks for clients are available online for download by therapists.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (3) ◽  
pp. 94-104 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Jarero ◽  
Martha Givaudan ◽  
Amalia Osorio

This randomized controlled trial extended the investigation previously conducted by Jarero et al. (2015) which found that the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing Integrative Group Treatment Protocol adapted for ongoing traumatic stress (EMDR-IGTP-OTS) was effective in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms related to the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancer in adult women. The current study sought to determine if the results could be replicated and if the treatment would also be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression. Participants in treatment (N = 35) and no-treatment control (N = 30) groups completed pre, post, and follow-up measurements using the Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Checklist for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.; DSM-5) (PCL-5) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Data analysis by repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the EMDR-IGTP-OTS was effective in significantly reducing symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression, with symptoms maintained at 90-day follow-up and with large effect sizes (e.g., d = 1.80). A comparison of the treatment and no-treatment control groups showed significantly greater decreases for the treatment group on symptoms of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. No significant correlation was found when exploring the relationship between scores on the Adverse Life Experiences scale and scores indicating pretreatment severity of PTSD, anxiety, and depression. This study suggests that EMDR-IGTP-OTS may be an efficient and effective way to address cancer-related posttraumatic, depressive, and anxious symptoms.


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 98-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ignacio Jarero ◽  
Lucina Artigas ◽  
Susana Uribe ◽  
Laura Evelyn García ◽  
María Alicia Cavazos ◽  
...  

The purpose of this research is to evaluate the effectiveness of the eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) Integrative Group Treatment Protocol (EMDR-IGTP) in reducing posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms related to the diagnosis and treatment of different types of cancer in adult women. EMDR-IGTP intensive therapy was administered for 3 consecutive days, twice daily, to 24 adult women diagnosed with different types of cancer (cervical, breast, colon, bladder, and skin) who had PTSD symptoms related to their diagnosis and treatment. The data was analyzed using factorial ANOVA with the effects of the EMDR-IGTP evaluated with the Short PTSD Rating Interview as dependent variable and group (two groups of patients: active phase and follow-up phase of cancer treatment) and time (four time points) as independent variables. Post hoc analyses were carried out. Results showed significant main effects for time and group. No significant interaction was found. Results also showed an overall subjective improvement in the participants. This pilot study suggests that intensive administration of the EMDR-IGTP can be a valuable support for cancer patients with PTSD symptoms related to their diagnosis and treatment. Further research with randomized controlled studies is needed to demonstrate the effectiveness of EMDR-IGTP in this population.


Author(s):  
Darlene Williamson

Given the potential of long term intervention to positively influence speech/language and psychosocial domains, a treatment protocol was developed at the Stroke Comeback Center which addresses communication impairments arising from chronic aphasia. This article presents the details of this program including the group purposes and principles, the use of technology in groups, and the applicability of a group program across multiple treatment settings.


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