Making Sense of Offense Related Trauma: Exploring Two Patients’ Lived Experience

This research explores offense-related trauma and EMDR with two patients who perpetrated violence offenses.

“Offense-related trauma refers to a trauma reaction following the perpetration of a violent offense. This research explores the lived experience of offense-related trauma, in two forensic patients. The meaning and understanding these individuals make of their own coping strategies, triggers, and treatment, and how this contributes to their behavior, was explored using a semi-structured interview and analyzed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. Two super-ordinate themes emerged from the data: “Journey to Forgiveness” and “Living with the Whole Me.” These themes and their subthemes highlight the nuances of offense-related trauma and raise the question of how processes such as complicated grief and associated shame can impact on recovery and rehabilitation. The implications of the findings for professionals providing treatment in forensic settings are considered.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Rew, G., Clark, L., & Rogers, G. (2022). Making Sense of Offense Related Trauma: Exploring Two Patients’ Lived Experience. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 16(4), 228–238. https://doi.org/10.1891/EMDR-2022-0004

About the Journal

The Journal of EMDR Practice and Research is a peer-reviewed publication devoted to integrative, state-of-the-art papers about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a broadly conceived interdisciplinary journal that stimulates and communicates research and theory about EMDR, and their application to clinical practice. The Journal of EMDR Practice and Research is the Official Publication of the EMDR International Association.