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10 - Specific interventions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 August 2022

By
Piyal Sen ,
Grace Crowley ,
Chris Maloney  and
Alison Summers
Edited by
Chris Maloney ,
Julia Nelki  and
Alison Summers
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Summary

People seeking asylum have particular needs that affect what kind of interventions will help, and how they should be offered.

The chapter first considers unmet physical health needs and the interconnectedness of physical and mental health.The role of medication for mental health difficulties is then reviewed, with detailed attention to the choice of medication, and to the practical and psychological context of prescribing.

The authorsconsider when formal psychological therapy may be helpful, looking at the factors common to all therapies, and at the specific options available. NET, EMDR, trauma focussed CBT and expressive, creative and body-based therapies are reviewed, together with a discussion of other forms of therapy.

Interventions for post-migration difficulties may be both the most acceptable and the most effective. The range of these interventions is considered, including the provision of medical evidence in an asylum claim. Risk management is reviewed, with attention to safety planning, minimising the harms of immigration detention, managing the threat of removal, and preventing destitution.

Keywords

Unmet physical health needsIntegrated (holistic) careMedicationNarrative Exposure Therapy (NET)EMDRTrauma-focused CBTExpressive and creative therapiesBody-focussed therapiesPost-migration difficultiesRisk management
Type
Chapter
Information
Seeking Asylum and Mental Health
A Practical Guide for Professionals
 , pp. 184 - 206
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2022

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