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Cognitive Behaviour Therapy with Refugees and Asylum Seekers Experiencing Traumatic Stress Symptoms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 August 2007

Nick Grey  and
Kerry Young
Nick Grey*
Affiliation:
Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, South London and Maudsley NHS Trust, UK
Kerry Young
Affiliation:
St Ann's Hospital, Haringey, and University College London, UK
*
Reprint requests to Nick Grey, Centre for Anxiety Disorders and Trauma, 99 Denmark Hill, London SE5 8AZ, UK. E-mail: n.grey@iop.kcl.ac.uk
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Abstract

This paper describes the nature of the difficulties faced by asylum seekers and refugees who present with traumatic stress symptoms and uses existing cognitive models to better understand theoretical issues in these cases. The focus is on those people for whom traumatic stress symptoms are their main problem/pre-occupation. It is acknowledged that these people may only form a small proportion of those who have experienced such events. This paper does not focus on the important multicultural issues integral to this work. A possible clinical pathway is presented, including the role of exposure/reliving, and how it may be adapted where necessary for people who have experienced multiple traumatic events, often of prolonged duration. Discussion of possible psychosocial understandings of torture and mass violence may be important in this work. A case example is presented that demonstrates how this clinical pathway might unfold in practice.

Keywords

Refugeeasylum seekerPTSDcognitive behaviour therapytestimony
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 36 , Issue 1 , January 2008 , pp. 3 - 19
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2007

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