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Background and objectives: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is an effective treatment for individuals suffering from posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). However, EMDR is not typically offered to people with PTSD who also meet the criteria for borderline personality disorder (BPD). This study examines the feasibility and clinical benefits of EMDR for PTSD delivered in addition to the onset of treatment as usual (TAU) for BPD. Methods: In a non-concurrent, multiple baseline design, 12 patients with BPD and PTSD received fifteen weekly 45-min sessions of TAU. During this period, eight weekly 90-min EMDR sessions were added. Outcome measures were obtained weekly for self-reported PTSD symptoms (PTSD checklist for DSM-5), levels of psychopathology (Brief Symptom Checklist), and the effect of psychopathology on different areas of life (Sheehan Disability Scale). Results: 9 participants completed the treatment protocol. In the EMDR phase, PTSD severity scores decreased significantly between sessions, while no between-session drop in scores occurred during the TAU only phase. Similar results were obtained for general symptoms and disability. No adverse events were reported. Limitations: Results on the efficacy and safety of EMDR in patients with BPD and PTSD need to be replicated in larger samples and in RCTs before they can be generalized to the entire population. Conclusions: The results of our study suggest that EMDR may be feasible and effective in reducing PTSD symptoms in patients concurrently receiving BPD treatment. EMDR appears to be a promising intervention for patients with BPD and comorbid PTSD.

De combinatie van schematherapie en EMDR staat in deze casusbeschrijving centraal. Bij zowel schematherapie als EMDR-therapie wordt verondersteld dat beschadigende gebeurtenissen in het leven van de client ten grondslag liggen aan de ontwikkeling van psychopathologie. Beide therapievormen beogen verandering aan te brengen in de betekenisverlening van de herinneringen aan deze gebeurtenissen, waardoor de klachten van de client zullen verminderen. Aan de hand van de therapie van Anouk, gediagnosticeerd met een borderline-persoonlijkheidsstoornis, wordt beschreven hoe schematherapie en EMDR met elkaar kunnen worden gecombineerd. Naast de gebruikelijke interventies vanuit schematherapie zijn uit de EMDR-therapie afkomstige zoekstrategieen toegepast om relevante, te bewerken, herinneringen te selecteren. Met name de zogenoemde ‘intrusieroute’ en de ‘opvattingenroute’ zijn hierbij gebruikt. Vervolgens is gebruikgemaakt van zowel imaginaire rescripting als van EMDR. Bij EMDR is een variant van rescripting toegepast: de rescripting interweave.

Background: Trauma and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are prevalent in patients with personality disorders. Despite the established efficacy of eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) for PTSD, EMDR has barely been examined in patients with comorbid PTSD and personality disorders. Objective: The aim of this study was to explore what changes occur in symptom severity of PTSD, dissociative symptoms, insomnia, non-suicidal self-injurious behaviour and auditory verbal hallucinations in patients with personality disorders during treatment with EMDR. Method: This uncontrolled open feasibility study on EMDR for PTSD was an addition to treatment-as-usual for personality disorders. The outcome measures were the severity of PTSD symptoms, dissociation, insomnia, non-suicidal self-injury, and auditory verbal hallucinations. Results: Forty-seven participants (22 with a borderline personality disorder, 25 with other personality disorders) were included. A significant reduction in the severity of symptoms of PTSD, dissociation and insomnia was observed after EMDR treatment (median of four sessions), and 40% of the participants scored below the threshold for PTSD diagnosis. No differences in efficacy were found between patients with borderline personality disorder and other personality disorders. EMDR treatment was completed by 68% of the participants. Conclusions: The addition of EMDR techniques to treatment, as usual, may be beneficial in the treatment of PTSD in patients with personality disorders in order to reduce symptoms of PTSD, dissociation and insomnia. Although one-third of these patients did not complete the additional EMDR treatment, no severe complications (e.g. suicidal behaviour or hospitalisation) occurred. Controlled studies are needed to further investigate the validity of these findings.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is in opmars, zo werd duidelijk tijdens het vijftiende Europese EMDR-congres. Veel meer patientgroepen blijken baat hebben bij EMDR dan nog vaak wordt gedacht.