TY - JOUR
T1 - Experiences with basic body awareness therapy as an add-on to cognitive behavioural therapy among Danish military veterans with PTSD
T2 - An interview study
AU - Andersen, Mette Reitz
AU - Clausen, Alex
AU - Nielsen, Anni Brit Sternhagen
AU - Svendsen, Louise
N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2021 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2021/7
Y1 - 2021/7
N2 - Background: The Danish Veterans Centre offers a body-orientated therapy, Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT), in addition to the psychological trauma-focused therapy to military veterans suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study explored how the veterans a) experienced BBAT as a physiotherapeutic approach and as an add-on treatment to their usual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and b) whether it makes sense for the individual veteran to incorporate BBAT into their treatment. Materials and methods: Individual semi-structured interviews with four veterans who had completed 12 BBAT sessions concurrently with their usual CBT treatment. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Malterud's version of Giorgi's 4-step systematic text condensation. Results: Three main categories emerged: “Effects of treatment”, “The setting of the treatment” and “Complementary nature of BBAT and CBT”. Within each category were 2–5 underlying subgroups. Participants found it made sense to combine BBAT with their CBT since it benefitted them differently and addressed their bodily symptoms and improved body perception/awareness. Conclusion: BBAT showed potential as a supplement to CBT and seemed to benefit the veterans through focusing on bodily symptoms and how to calm them. Future studies are needed because of the limited research on the topic.
AB - Background: The Danish Veterans Centre offers a body-orientated therapy, Basic Body Awareness Therapy (BBAT), in addition to the psychological trauma-focused therapy to military veterans suffering from symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This study explored how the veterans a) experienced BBAT as a physiotherapeutic approach and as an add-on treatment to their usual Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) and b) whether it makes sense for the individual veteran to incorporate BBAT into their treatment. Materials and methods: Individual semi-structured interviews with four veterans who had completed 12 BBAT sessions concurrently with their usual CBT treatment. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using Malterud's version of Giorgi's 4-step systematic text condensation. Results: Three main categories emerged: “Effects of treatment”, “The setting of the treatment” and “Complementary nature of BBAT and CBT”. Within each category were 2–5 underlying subgroups. Participants found it made sense to combine BBAT with their CBT since it benefitted them differently and addressed their bodily symptoms and improved body perception/awareness. Conclusion: BBAT showed potential as a supplement to CBT and seemed to benefit the veterans through focusing on bodily symptoms and how to calm them. Future studies are needed because of the limited research on the topic.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85107726172&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.03.023
DO - 10.1016/j.jbmt.2021.03.023
M3 - Journal article
SN - 1360-8592
VL - 27
SP - 550
EP - 559
JO - Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
JF - Journal of Bodywork and Movement Therapies
IS - 7
ER -