Group eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing treatment for survivors of Cyclone Gabrielle in Aotearoa New Zealand

Cyclone Gabrielle was a destructive storm that impacted a large proportion of the population of Aotearoa New Zealand. The authors supported mental health services in affected areas and provided accessible psychological therapy to many survivors of the storm who were unable to access mental healthcare because of accessibility issues caused by destroyed roads and infrastructure. Volunteers from the mental health workforce across Aotearoa New Zealand were recruited to deliver group eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) sessions to survivors of Cyclone Gabrielle, both online and in-person. In total, seven sessions were held, and hundreds of participants were able to access these free services. In the present study, a subset (N=76) of participants was examined, and their responses to psychometrics discussed. The study demonstrated that group EMDR was an effective, efficient way to deliver psychological therapy to survivors of a large-scale event.

Journal

English

Chris Neuenfeldt
Ananda Sleeman
Nishtha Saini

Neuenfeldt, C., Sleeman, A., & Saini, N. (2024). Group eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing treatment for survivors of Cyclone Gabrielle in Aotearoa New Zealand. Journal of the New Zealand College of Clinical Psychologists, 34(1), 80–94. doi:10.5281/zenodo.10939160d