Trauma centered psychotherapy and EMDR in a humanitarian mass disaster: Evaluating the ACEH experience

In a project carried out by Trauma Aid-HAP Germany between 2007 and 2009 and sponsored by Terre des Hommes and the German Official Development Assistance more than 3200 adult and child clients were treated for mental disorders related to traumatic experiences after the Tsunami in 2004 and the civil war in Aceh/ Indonesia. An accompanying monitoring and research component provided detailed diagnostic data before and after therapy. This guided both the therapeutic process, and the training process in psychotraumatology. Also with this component the long term effectiveness of the interventions was assessed. In turn these findings were related to various traumatic events, socio-economic conditions and other non-psychological factors that influenced therapy outcome. Particular attention was paid to a variety of cultural implications entailed in using therapies such as EMDR in a non-Western, deeply religious and traditional context. Main results, implications for further research and future intervention strategies will be addressed.

Conference

English

Peter Bumke

Bumke, P. (2011, June). Trauma centered psychotherapy and EMDR in a humanitarian mass disaster: Evaluating the ACEH experience. Presentation at the 12th European Conference on Traumatic Stress (ECOTS), Vienna, Austria