Effects of a group experiential therapy program on the psychological health of military veterans: a preliminary investigation

Effectiveness of an intensive experiential group therapy program in promoting mental health and well-being among mass shooting survivors: A practice-based pilot study.

“…The findings of this study should be considered preliminary and interpreted cautiously in light of the small sample size, lack of client diversity, potential method bias (e.g., change in instructions for some measures that were completed at the end of treatment), and experimental limitations inherent to real-world clinical contexts (e.g., lack of a control group). Although it is not uncommon for uncontrolled designs to be utilized when a sample is selected from clients voluntarily seeking a specific type of treatment (Cowden, Chapman, et al, 2021), the implication of using a within-subjects pre–post design is that we were unable to empirically account for the potential effects of other factors that might have influenced treatment outcomes or posttreatment improvements that were evidenced over the follow-up period. For example, we did not monitor whether study participants engaged in virtual continuing care sessions after they completed the residential program, and the extent to which participation in those sessions contributed to posttreatment maintenance and/or gains is unknown.…”

“…To achieve this, the therapeutic process synthesizes psychodrama theory and techniques with a combination of other experiential therapy modalities, such as Gestalt techniques, action methods (rather than traditional talk therapy), and experiential instruction. In line with prior adaptations of this model to specific clinical populations (e.g., Cowden, Chapman, et al, 2021), steps were taken to ensure that the program addressed the unique needs of the target population. An advisory board of seven mass shooting survivors was convened and consulted in the process of tailoring the treatment.…”

“…Hence, mass shooting survivors stand to benefit from empirically supported interventions tailored specifically to their needs. A majority of existing evidence-based trauma treatment approaches (e.g., Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy) are designed for individual treatment modalities (Gallagher et al, 2017); however, there is also growing empirical evidence for group psychotherapeutic approaches as efficacious in alleviating PTSD and related symptoms (Cowden, Chapman, et al, 2021; Schwartze et al, 2019). Given the salience of social factors in psychological functioning following mass trauma incidents, shared trauma work with other survivors is a promising area for empirical exploration.…”

“…Hence, the purpose of the present study was to examine the effectiveness of an intensive experiential group psychotherapy program for mass shooting survivors. Research has supported the effectiveness of this residential treatment model in reducing mental health symptoms and improving subjective well-being among military veterans (Cowden, Chapman, et al, 2021), individuals with problematic sexual behaviors (Klontz et al, 2005), and clients experiencing anxiety and mood disorders (Klontz et al, 2001). We adapted this treatment model to address the psychological needs of mass shooting survivors and evaluated its effectiveness in decreasing psychological distress, supporting physical health, and promoting well-being in this understudied clinical population.…”

Psychodrama

“…Indeed, in both cases, the auxiliary egos are represented by the objects chosen by the protagonist (Litwińska-Rączka, 2018). The psychodramatic sessions aim to promote opportunities to work on the patients’ experiences, their behavior patterns, and their personal difficulties according to a new perspective, to promote symptomatic relief and improve the ability of patients to live in the here-and-now (Cowden et al, 2021).…”