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‘When it comes to relational trauma, you need people at the table’: Therapist experiences of online therapy for families with a prior disclosure of sibling sexual abuse during Covid‐19 pandemic lockdowns
Simons,Aletta Noordegraaf,Martine Van Regenmortel,Tine
Simons,Aletta
Noordegraaf,Martine
Van Regenmortel,Tine
Abstract
This study aims to contribute to the evaluation of online therapy during Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, by exploring family therapists’ experiences of therapy for twelve Sibling Sexual Abuse (SSA) families in the Netherlands. Seven transcripts of interviews with highly specialised Dutch family therapists were analysed using thematic analysis (TA). Two main findings emerged from this study. First, the Dutch therapists reported no acute worries about their clients’ sexual safety during the pandemic lockdowns. Nonetheless, the switch to online therapy for the SSA families created concern regarding victim safety in speaking out freely at home. Second, while the sudden switch to online therapy enabled SSA therapists to stay connected with their SSA families, therapists experienced a decline in therapy quality and in their own well-being. In the therapists’ experience, it was almost impossible to conduct their most fundamental interventions online, such as intervening in family relationships.
Description
Funding information: This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public
Date
2022
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Research Projects
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Journal Issue
Keywords
impact of Covid-19 pandemic lockdowns, online family therapy, relational trauma, sibling sexual abuse, SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being, SDG 16 - Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions
Citation
Simons, A, Noordegraaf, M & Van Regenmortel, T 2022, '‘When it comes to relational trauma, you need people at the table’ : Therapist experiences of online therapy for families with a prior disclosure of sibling sexual abuse during Covid‐19 pandemic lockdowns', Journal of Family Therapy, vol. 44, no. 4, pp. 490-503. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6427.12397
License
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess