How do clients experience reliving as part of trauma-focused cognitive behavioural therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder?
OBJECTIVE
Reliving is an integral part of trauma-focused cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT), a recommended treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) with a convincing evidence base supporting its use. However, the literature suggests that clinicians are reluctant to use reliving in therapy. The aim of this study was to explore participants' experiences of undergoing reliving as part of CBT for PTSD in order to further clinicians' understanding of client experiences of reliving.


METHODS
This was a qualitative study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and the transcripts analyzed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA) (Smith, Jarman, & Osborn, 1999).


METHODS
Seven participants who had completed the reliving component of trauma-focused CBT in the previous month were recruited through therapists working in specialist trauma services, and semi-structured interviews were conducted using a topic guide. The transcripts were analyzed using IPA to enable the research questions to be addressed.


RESULTS
Three super-ordinate themes and 11 subordinate themes were developed to reflect participants' common and distinct experiences. The three super-ordinate themes were 'overcoming ambivalence', 'painful but achievable', and 'positive change'.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provided useful information about participants' experiences of reliving during CBT for PTSD. Clinical implications regarding the therapeutic relationship, preparing clients for reliving, and the impact of reliving were suggested. Implications for future research were identified including extending the score of the study, exploring differences in participants' experiences, and exploring unexpected findings.
Isis Education Centre, Warneford Hospital, Oxford, UK.
Vanessa
V
Shearing
Deborah
D
Lee
Sue
S
Clohessy
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D004644:Emotions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011369:Professional-Patient Relations; D036301:Qualitative Research; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult