Supporting Organisation: Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust
About Virginia's fellowship project
Project title:
Dialectical Behaviour Therapy for Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder: Implementation in Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (And Beyond)
Many service users with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD) fall through gaps in existing pathways. Trauma therapy can be difficult to access if they have ongoing self-harm or suicidal thoughts, although these symptoms may be driven by their history of trauma. Meanwhile, therapy which addresses self-harm and suicidal risk, such as standard Dialectical Behaviour Therapy, does not directly address the trauma. This can lead to poor treatment outcomes, recurrent risk, and increased use of acute mental health services.
The primary aim of this project is to begin offering a modified form of Dialectical Behaviour Therapy specifically designed for cPTSD (created by Dr. Martin Bohus) within her work in HPFT, alongside other DBT-PTSD trained therapists. Randomized controlled trials have shown that DBT-PTSD is safe and effective in treating people with a history of sexual and physical abuse alongside intense, unpredictable emotions which may lead to them having suicidal thoughts and self-harm behaviours.
A secondary aim is to learn more about perceptions of DBT-PTSD’s acceptability and feasibility amongst the therapists who offer it, to potentially facilitate its implementation more widely within the UK.
Virginia’s hope is that this new offering will increase treatment access and choice, reduce mental health hospitalizations, and improve quality of life and outcomes for a vulnerable population with complex needs, within Hertfordshire and beyond.
Contact Virginia: Kathryn.riley3@nhs.net