Pandemic Times and the Experience of Online EMDR Practice in Greece: A Qualitative Study on Obstacles and Perspectives

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a biopsychosocial impact on the Greek mental health system by worsening symptoms of depression and stress in the general population, describes Penny Papanikolopoulos, Ph.D., Tessa Prattos, and Emmanouil Foundoulakis in this article.

“The COVID-19 pandemic has had a biopsychosocial impact on the Greek mental health system by worsening symptoms of depression and stress in the general population. As the need for mental health services increased, the pandemic strongly affected EMDR practice, and training which was mainly online, during 2020. In a small sample consisting of 40 EMDR practitioners, a brief online questionnaire was administered concerning the obstacles that professionals believe they face doing online EMDR therapy in Greece during the pandemic. A conventional qualitative analysis was conducted on the respondents’ feedback by coding the content. Among others, the results showed two categories of practical and psychosocial defects in the efficient application of online EMDR practice. Lack of physical contact, poor application of bilateral stimulation based on technical difficulties, poor computer skills, and physical exhaustion due to continuous lockdown were some of the content subcategories. The results are discussed concerning the current context of the pandemic and local characteristics. Moreover, practical implications for online EMDR practice are discussed.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Papanikolopoulos, P., Prattos, T., & Foundoulakis, E. (2022). Pandemic Times and the Experience of Online EMDR Practice in Greece: A Qualitative Study on Obstacles and Perspectives. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 16(3), 135–144. https://doi.org/10.1891/EMDR-2021-0033

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.