Journal Article Randomized Controlled Trial Ppublish
PubMed: 39807650 DOI: 10.1111/papt.12570
Veterans' experiences of somatic experiencing and prolonged exposure therapies for post-traumatic stress disorder: A qualitative analysis.
Psychol Psychother 98(1):175-192
Authors: Anna Harwood-Gross, Shir Elias, Karen Lerner, Nitsa Nacasch, Cathy Lawi, Danny Brom, Adi Barak
Affiliations
- Metiv Israel Psychotrauma Center, Herzog Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel.
- Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden University, Leiden, Netherlands.
- Psychologist in private practice, Herzliya, Israel.
- Sheba Tel ha Shomer Hospital, Ramat Gan, Israel.
- Emotion Aid, Raanana, Israel.
- The Louis & Gabi Weisfeld School of Social Work, Bar-Ilan University, Ramat Gan, Israel.
Abstract
PURPOSE
Despite the proliferation of research into evidence based treatment for military PTSD there is little evidence for treatment assignment criterion and military based PTSD still demonstrates low remission rates.
METHOD
Thirty participants in a randomized control trial comparing Prolonged Exposure (PE) and Somatic Experiencing (SE) were interviewed on their experiences in therapy and their responses assessed using a descriptive phenomenological analysis approach to delineate the central tenets of the two therapeutic approaches.
RESULTS
Results indicated that participants from both therapies covered themes of the experience of change, the experience of the therapeutic relationship and the therapeutic process. Within these themes, SE and PE participants reported both similar experiences, such as the predominance of physiological or bodily experiences and also described nuanced differences, specifically pertaining to therapy characteristics. SE participants described the process in terms of learning a language, applicable to alternative scenarios and PE participants described the process in terms of conquering exposures in order to achieve respite from symptoms.
CONCLUSION
The current findings have relevance in terms of presenting the key elements of the distinct trauma therapies and determining treatment appropriateness based on desired outcomes. They highlight the commonalities and differences between the patient experience in PE and SE, specifically the relevance of the bodily response, treatment expertise and therapist characteristics in both treatments. Understanding the unique elements of PE, a gold-standard PTSD treatment and SE, a novel somatic-based psychotherapy, will allow for better treatment preparation for participants and potentially aid treatment assignment.
MeSH
Military Personnel, Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic, Evidence-Based Practice, Mental Disorders, Stress, Physiological, Psychotherapy, Veterans, Stress Disorders, Traumatic, Therapeutics, Wounds And Injuries