Brief Eclectic Psychotherapy for PTSD (BEPP) is an evidence based treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is recommended by the American Psychological Association (APA) and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS).

What distinguishes BEPP from other trauma-focused treatments is that it focuses on the acknowledgment of the array of intense emotions that the person experiences in relation to the trauma, and that its aim is to learn from the trauma in terms of life-changing lessons. The five essential elements of BEPP are psychoeducation, imaginal exposure, writing letters and bringing memorabilia, making meaning of what has happened, and a farewell ritual. BEPP is called eclectic because it combines insights and interventions from cognitive behavioral, grief and psychodynamic approaches. BEPP is a 16-session, manualized treatment.

When first developed in the 1980s and 1990s, BEPP was used and evaluated for treating police officers with PTSD in the Netherlands (Gersons et al., 2000). When it proved to be effective in this population, the application of the treatment gradually broadened to other patients with PTSD and to other countries with translations of the protocol in several languages . Further studies have demonstrated the treatment to be efficacious in patients with PTSD resulting from various trauma backgrounds (Lindauer et al., 2005, Schnyder et al., 2011,) and have shown that the treatment is as effective as other trauma treatments (Nijdam et al., 2012).

target group of participants

The BEPP training has been developed for psychotherapists who are working with clients who have experienced traumatic events (psychiatrists, psychologists and other mental health professionals).

objectives and program

• to understand the framework of this effective treatment for PTSD;
• to understand and become familiarized with the different modules of this treatment-protocol;
• to be able to start practicing BEPP with supervision.

methods used in the training workshop

During the training the participants will get acquainted with all five elements of the BEPP protocol: psychoeducation, imaginal exposure to the traumatic event, writing assignments, the domain of meaning and integration, and the farewell ritual.
Theoretical introductions will be alternated with practical case demonstrations on DVD, roleplaying and personal exercises. This will help to understand and fine-tune the treatment when applying the protocol. There will also be space for discussion and for sharing experiences with own clients and ideas.
The 70 page BEPP protocol is available in English, Spanish, German, Italian, Polish, Dutch, Georgian and Lithuanian.
For further information see www.traumatreatment.eu.

trainers

 Prof.dr. Berthold P.R. Gersons | Emeritus Professor of Psychiatry | Amsterdam UMC | University of Amsterdam | Former Senior Scientific Advisor ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, The Netherlands .

 Prof.dr. Geert Smid | Endowed Professor of Psychotrauma, Loss and Grief | University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands | Consultant Psychiatrist, Associate Director of Residency Training | ARQ National Psychotrauma Centre, The Netherlands