Trauma informed additional programme (TIA-P) - Using group EMDR for working with victims and perpetrators who come into contact with forensic services

This paper explores ways in which trauma may manifest both in terms of internalising and externalising symptoms. It will argue that the effects of trauma can contribute to engagement in problematic behaviours (such as offending behaviour, substance misuse and aggression) which may require those coming into contact with the Criminal Justice System to attend treatment programmes to target these problem behaviours. However, standard offence focused and/or victim interventions do not sufficiently take into account the effects of trauma in terms of attending to the therapy interfering behaviours brought to treatment. The paper will argue that trauma related therapy interfering behaviours (e.g. flashbacks, hostility, impulsivity, and emotional reactivity) should be attended to, certainly prior to placing individuals onto group therapies to target other problem behaviours. The paper will introduce TIA-P, a new group which attends to the latest research in the treatment of trauma utilising Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) within the group to enhance safety and reduce therapy interfering behaviours. It is the first of its kind to be used with a forensic client group and is designed to assist clients to tolerate and modify therapy interfering behaviours which present as a result of trauma in order for them to progress onto standardised offence focused/victim centred interventions. Outcome data will be presented.

Conference

English

Rachel Worthington

Worthington, R. (2016, June).  Trauma informed additional programme (TIA-P) - Using group EMDR for working with victims and perpetrators who come into contact with forensic services. In Violence and offenders (Eva Münker-Kramer, Chair). Presentation at the at the 17th EMDR Europe Association Conference, The Hague