EMDR therapy in the treatment of PTSD following childbirth

Case studies investigating eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy for women with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) following childbirth suggest that it is an effective psychological treatment for this group. This investigation will address a gap in knowledge about the potential for positive and negative effects to occur when EMDR therapy is delivered during the first few months after delivery. The aim is to discover which aspects of their experience of EMDR therapy are viewed by women as being significant. Participants will be interviewed either on completion of treatment or after 6 memory-reprocessing sessions if treatment is not complete. A small number of simple, open questions will prompt each participant to explore the impact of EMDR therapy, including any changes in their close relationships. Studies indicate that the mother’s relationships with her baby and partner are often adversely affected in PTSD. There is also evidence that maternal PTSD is associated with subsequent emotional and cognitive problems for the infant. Early EMDR intervention might help the mother to bond with her child, increasing her ability to provide appropriately responsive care. On the other hand,, early EMDR intervention might be difficult for the mother in ways which standard outcome questionnaires do not reveal. The setting for the study will be the NHS Highland adult mental health service. Women referred at 4 to 12 weeks after delivery with new-onset PTSD will be assessed for eligibility to participate. Potential participants will be offered early EMDR intervention, the usual treatment used in the service. The main research method will be to carry out semi-structured interviews with 3 participants followed by analysis of the transcribed texts. The themes which emerge from this analysis will be valuable in understanding how therapy is experienced and therefore how it might be better adapted to women’s needs.

David Herd

Herd, D. (2020, June). EMDR therapy in the treatment of PTSD following childbirth. In Practice-Based Evidence Symposium. Presentation at the UK and Ireland Virtual Conference & AGM, Cardiff, UK