Understanding the role of psychodynamic therapy in NHS services for complex needs

Photo,Collage,Artwork,Help,Mental,Disabilities,People,Healthcare,Medicine,Loneliness

KCL MSc student Yunyi Chen explores a study on the effectiveness of psychodynamic therapy in an NHS service for service-users with complex mental health needs, with promising findings that span over a decade of work.

[read the full story...]

Inheriting the traumas of war: examining DNA methylation across three generations of Syrian refugees

syrian family

In her debut Mental Elf blog, Demelza Smeeth discusses the latest research on the inheritance of trauma across three generations of Syrian refugees; summarising a paper that looks into the epigenetic signatures of intergenerational exposure.

[read the full story...]

The Venn diagram of psychosis, developmental trauma and dissociation

Venn diagram on wall

Kirsten Lawson reviews a pair of papers looking at the interplay between developmental trauma, dissociation and psychosis, which suggest that dissociation may act as a mediator between developmental trauma and psychosis.

[read the full story...]

Neigh to PTSD: can horses help veterans heal?

A,Senior,Man,Standing,Close,To,A,Horse,Outdoors,In

Ana Veic reviews a study on equine-assisted services (EAS) for military veterans with PTSD. The research shows EAS may help reduce symptoms, highlights barriers to care, and looks at the quality of evidence in this growing field.

[read the full story...]

Trauma-informed practice in youth justice

karsten-winegeart-urbseZKkXLY-unsplash

Alice Dawson and Emma Cormack evaluate an umbrella review on trauma-informed clinical practice in forensic youth settings, which finds that trauma-specific treatments show promise, but they need to be supported by trauma-informed organisations.

[read the full story...]

Just how good are different psychotherapies for common mental health problems?

A,Female,Psychologist,Advises,A,Client.,Portrait,Of,A,Professional

Lisa Lloyd and Milagros Pallavicini review a recent study on psychotherapies for 8 mental disorders, finding that while most outperform control treatments, response rates remain modest.

[read the full story...]

Personal trauma is associated with secondary traumatic stress in mental health professionals

A,Broken,Heart.,Drawing,Of,A,Heart,On,A,Cracked

Linda Gask blogs a systematic review finding that personal trauma is linked to onset of secondary trauma in mental health professionals.

[read the full story...]

“Dem sey mi mad”: Afro Caribbean Experiences of Psychosis

The findings suggest that the burnout measure successfully discriminated burnout from depression and anxiety symptoms.

Hári Sewell explores Afro Caribbean men’s experiences of psychosis, social and migration difficulties, and challenges accessing mental health services in North America and the United Kingdom.

[read the full story...]

Uncharted territory: cumulative trauma and bipolar disorder

Magnetic compass  and location marking with a pin on routes on world map. Adventure, discovery, navigation, communication, logistics, geography, transport and travel theme concept background.

Magda Skowronska summarises a recent systematic review which finds that cumulative trauma could lead to earlier onset of bipolar disorder. A review that has important implications for mental health professionals.

[read the full story...]

Trauma clinicians weigh in: how physical exercise can support trauma treatment

Middle aged Black man jogging in the park

Ana Veic considers clinician’s perspectives of the benefits of physical exercise in treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and complex trauma.

[read the full story...]