Adapting a trauma pathway within an improving access to psychological therapy (IAPT) service in the context of increased demand and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19)

The aim of this reflective piece is to outline EMDR group adaptations that the Talking Helps Newcastle (THN) Trauma Pathway used before, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic, and our plans for the future.

Article Abstract

“The 2018 National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines reference Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for consideration as an early intervention for trauma. EMDR is offered within Talking Helps Newcastle (THN), an IAPT service in the North East of England. However, due to rising demands on the service, it has been increasingly difficult to offer this recommended therapy in the timescale required for early intervention. The Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) is an evidence-based form of EMDR. Early evidence from a G-TEP group in THN suggested that the approach showed promise in reducing symptoms of trauma and other mental health disorders. Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 virus and the subsequent government lockdown on 23 March 2020, the whole Service, including the trauma pathway, had to adapt quickly to continue delivering meaningful, high-quality care. EMDR therapists in the Service were trained to use the G-TEP-RISC protocol, which is an adaptation of the G-TEP delivered remotely with, and for, Self-Care. The aim of this reflective piece is to outline adaptations of the THN Trauma Pathway before, and in response to, the COVID-19 pandemic, and our plans for the future.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Johanson, E. (2021, Winter). Adapting a trauma pathway within an improving access to psychological therapy (IAPT) service in the context of increased demand and severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (COVID-19). EMDR Therapy Quarterly. https://etq.emdrassociation.org.uk/2020/12/23/adapting-a-trauma-pathway-within-an-improving-access-psychological-therapy-iapt-service-in-the-context-of-increased-demand-and-severe-acute-respiratory-syndrome-coronavirus-2-covid-19/(opens in new tab)