G-TEP with Syrian refugees

The Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) is developed recently by Elan Shapiro. He defines G-TEP as “An attempt to answer the challenge of how to construct a group protocol that contains more of the depth and power of the EMDR protocol and the AIP, more closely resembling the individual protocol. The G-TEP is a simplified adaptation of the R-TEP for use with groups of adults, older children & adolescents who have had recent traumatic experiences or life-changing events with on-going consequences that are not necessarily recent.”

There are 300.000 Syria refugees living in camps and another 300.000 living in different cities more than two years in Turkey. The refugees live in good standards in the camps. However, almost all of them had serious war traumas in Syria. It is important to provide therapy for those who have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder symptoms regarding their well being and mental health. Considering the qualities of G-TEP, we planned to work with the refugees in order to treat them with EMDR Therapy. As the therapist team of Institute for Behavioral Studies we worked with refugees living at a camp near the Syrian border. The refugees showing PTSD symptoms were taken into G-TEP work. Psychological Assessments tools were Beck Depression Inventory, Harvard Trauma Questionnaire, Impact of Events Scale and MINI.

The application of G-TEP will be introduced in the presentation. Additionally, a video demonstration that shows the therapy will be observed by participants.

Conference

English

Yurtsever, A., Konuk, E., Akyuz, T., & Tukel, F. (2014, June). G-TEP with Syrian refugees. In EMDR with research symposium (Derek Farrell, Chair). Symposium presented at the 15th EMDR Europe Association Conference, Edinburgh, Scotland