Yoga as a pre-treatment of EMDR to treat childhood abuse-related PTSD: feasibility and pilot study.

Background

Yoga, a mind-body practice that enhances emotional regulation and self-awareness, may be an effective stabilisation tool for trauma-focused therapy, particularly for patients with childhood abuse-related posttraumatic stress disorder (CA-PTSD), who exhibit strong avoidance strategies.

Objective

This study aimed to test the efficacy of group yoga sessions followed by individual EMDR sessions on PTSD symptoms. Secondary objectives included evaluating the efficacy of this combined treatment on the most common associated comorbidities, and measuring the adherence and effectiveness of EMDR sessions.

Methods

32 adult women with CA-PTSD were randomly assigned to either a Yoga + EMDR group (10 weekly yoga sessions followed by 10 weekly EMDR sessions) or a Wait + EMDR group (12 weeks of waiting followed by 10 weekly EMDR sessions). Assessments were conducted at baseline, week 12, and week 24, primarily using validated self-report questionnaires.

Results

While PTSD symptoms and most comorbidities showed no significant group differences, the Yoga + EMDR group exhibited significant improvements in anxiety and emotional dysregulation, fewer dropouts, and more effective EMDR sessions compared to the Wait + EMDR group. The study faced a limitation as the overall therapy duration extended beyond the protocol, rapidly preventing new recruitments.

Conclusions

Yoga preceding EMDR shows promise in enhancing emotion regulation and EMDR effectiveness for CA-PTSD patients.