Document Type
Article
Version Deposited
Published Version
Publication Date
12-1-2025
Publication Title
European Journal of Psychotraumatology
DOI
10.1080/20008066.2025.2476898
Abstract
Background: Burnout and secondary traumatic stress (STS) are common among therapists working with trauma-exposed clients, which can negatively impact them professionally and personally. The shared trauma of war exposure may put therapists at greater risk. To help support their wellbeing, an eight-session course was offered to Ukrainian therapists following training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). This course involves therapists personally utilizing the PRACTICE skills taught to clients in TF-CBT for professional and personal benefit.
Objective: The objective was to gather preliminary evidence on the potential impact of implementing the course with Ukrainian therapists providing TF-CBT during a period of war in Ukraine. Specifically, this study examined if course participation was associated with increased PRACTICE coping skills usage, decreased burnout and STS, increased feelings of TF-CBT competency/confidence, and increased empathy for clients' experiences when implementing the skills.
Method: The eight-session virtual course included cultural adaptations to increase its compatibility with Ukrainian culture. Thirteen matched pre-post course surveys were analysed to provide preliminary data on the course's effect on PRACTICE coping skills usage, burnout, and STS. The course's impact on therapist coping/wellbeing, TF-CBT competency/confidence, and empathy for clients was also examined qualitatively.
Results: PRACTICE coping skills were utilized significantly more frequently at post-course compared to pre-course (p = .010). Therapists also reported lower average scores for burnout and STS after course completion, though these changes were not statistically significant. Most participants (92.3%) reported professional benefits from course participation including increased competency/confidence and empathy for clients. All therapists (100%) reported personal benefits from course participation including increased use of coping skills.
Conclusions: Results indicate that participants experienced professional and personal benefits from course completion. This study provides helpful preliminary evidence of a positive impact, however, given the small sample size, larger scale implementation is needed.
Recommended Citation
Pollio, Elisabeth; Deblinger, Esther; Cooper, Beth; Garbade, Maike; Harrison, Julie P; and Pfeiffer, Elisa, "Engaging Ukrainian TF-CBT Therapists in a PRACTICE Skills Course to Support Their Wellbeing" (2025). Rowan-Virtua School of Osteopathic Medicine Departmental Research. 281.
https://rdw.rowan.edu/som_facpub/281
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License
Published Citation
Pollio, E., Deblinger, E., Cooper, B., Garbade, M., Harrison, J. P., & Pfeiffer, E. (2025). Engaging Ukrainian TF-CBT therapists in a PRACTICE skills course to support their wellbeing. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2025.2476898
Included in
Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms Commons, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Commons, Health and Medical Administration Commons, Health Services Research Commons, Psychiatry Commons, Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy Commons
