A duoethnographic exploration of Relational Psychotraumatology: research, training, and practice considerations

Introduction Using a duoethnological approach, supported by relational trauma theories, this paper synthesises idiosyncratic formulations and perspectives of working with relational trauma. Aim Initially, focus is centred on reflecting on the authors' research with different and diverse groups. These include in-reach rehabilitation and recovery services for people with profound and enduring mental health needs, as well as experiences of trauma, loss, grief and post-traumatic growth of sanctuary seekers. Method Duoethnography, which is a collaborative research methodology that promotes introspection and critical reflexivity in researchers, was followed for over a year, and this provided rich data, which were analysed. Results Duoethnological dialogue offered rich data, which was conceptualised into four themes, which are presented and elaborated on: (i) the importance of the therapists acknowledging and witnessing meaning-making with those who present with relational trauma and engaging with the evolving process of remembering, repeating and working through their trauma; (ii) the importance of therapists clarifying the aim or function of therapy from their modality; (iii) the importance of the idiosyncratic experiencing and processing of relational trauma; and (iv) the importance of the dynamic process and diversity of possible stages in working through relational trauma. Discussion These themes support an argument for a praxis of relational trauma and exploration of different approaches that may be helpful in therapeutic practice, training and psychotraumatology research. Conclusions The paper concludes with reflections on how a human rights trauma-informed approach entails facilitating hope in trauma work and offers recommendations for psychotraumatology therapeutic practice and trauma-informed training

Body mapping Refugees and asylum seekers’ perspectives of embodied trauma: an innovative method for psychotraumatology research and practice

With the population of displaced individuals reaching over 25 million people worldwide, exacerbated by recent humanitarian emergencies there is an urgent need to rapidly assess manifestations of trauma, with a focus on providing culturally informed methods for those in distress. The novel concept of ‘embodied trauma’ is body mapped and explicated using a sample of 13 displaced individuals in the United Kingdom. This study operationalises a qualitative, semi-structured interview, incorporating the Trauma Screening Questionnaire, exploratory open questions, and body mapping exercises, utilising reflexive thematic analysis of the interview data. Results map how trauma and associated emotions are experienced in the body, generating key themes to elucidate the novel term ‘embodied trauma,’ encompassing its holistic bio-psycho-social-sexual-spiritual-existential presentations. The implications of this study make the case for the innovative use of body mapping in psychotraumatology research and practice, as part of a culturally informed approach

Team Interventions for Burnout, Resiliency, and Psychological Safety in Healthcare Settings: Systematic Literature Review, Evaluation, and Meta-Analysis

Resiliency Hubs were established as a response to the challenges posed by the Covid-19 pandemic and efforts to enhance the support available to an NHS workforce that, based on available data, were already displaying signs of decreasing morale and increasing absenteeism and intention to leave their jobs. A network of Resiliency Hubs now exists with a broader and longer-term purpose – to support and develop all staffs’ resilience and well-being, and to allow staff to be effective and remain in their work. Evaluation of these services is a continuous process, necessary to ensure their ongoing quality and enhancing provision. The current project was commissioned by the Humber, Coast and Vale Resiliency Hub as part of this process. The project was undertaken by an external team of researchers with the aim of providing a systematic review, evaluation, and meta-analysis of team-based interventions that could be used by the Humber, Coast and Vale Resiliency Hub as an evidence-base to inform the team/organisation pathway of their service

Ethnic Speech and Ethnic Action as Ethnic Behavior: Part 1. Construction of the Brunel Ethnic Behavior Inventory

© 2016 Taylor & Francis.This article reports the construction of a new survey—specifically, the Brunel Ethnic Behavior Inventory (BEBI)—designed to measure ethnic speech and ethnic action as separate, yet related, aspects of individuals’ ethnic behavior. Using Tajfel’s social identity theory as a conceptual frame of reference, this study sought an answer to the research question of how many factors actually are measured by the BEBI, and tested the hypothesis that a two-factor model (i.e., Ethnic Speech and Ethnic Action as two correlated factors) would provide significantly better goodness of fit to the correlational data than would a one-factor model (i.e., Ethnic Behavior as one undifferentiated factor). Across one pilot sample (n = 101) and two main samples (n = 120 for Sample 1, n = 148 for Sample 2), the study found that not only did the BEBI measure two factors at most (i.e., Ethnic Speech and Ethnic Action) but, consistent with the hypothesis, the two-factor model yielded better goodness of fit than did the one-factor model. Implications for the conceptualization and measurement of Verkuyten’s “ways of ethnicity” are discussed