Evaluation of an online study group on trauma and dissociation for psychotherapists in India

Mental health professionals (MHP¹s) in India are generally not adequately educated in the treatment of trauma. Educational programs can help to disseminate knowledge and skills about effective treatment for trauma, to ensure mental health care for clients. This study aimed to evaluate the usefulness of an educational program on trauma and dissociation (T&D²) for psychotherapists in India.

An online study group for psychotherapists was led by a psychotherapist, experienced in trauma. The program included didactic presentations, discussions and case presentations, with topics including definitions and types of T&D, assessments, best practices, models and therapeutic methods. Three questionnaires, 14 semi-structured interviews, and a follow-up FGD, were used to evaluate the program.

The online study group was found to be beneficial for psychotherapists to learn about T&D. Evaluation using participants' reports revealed that they learned to understand clients' symptoms and conceptualize treatment with a lens of T&D, and they became more confident in working with clients. These reports also indicated that the clients were benefiting.

An online study group for psychotherapists, which also formed a supportive learning community, was effective for learning about T&D for participants from varied backgrounds. Such programs could bridge the knowledge gap about treatment for T&D among MHPs, especially in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs).