Socio-Demographic Characteristics of Clients Who Were Treated with EMDR Therapy in Humanitarian Nongovernmental Organization Islamic Relief World Wide in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health services after the war 1992-1995 in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B-H) are primarily reduced to the public care, though, there are not enough professionals in existing conditions, and they are not able to respond to cover all the cases. This leaves the room to non governmental organizations (NGO) and private mental health care professionals in providing psycho-social services to vulnerable populations. Islamic Relief World Wide (IRWW), United Kingdom (UK) based humanitarian organisation, whose personal working within Orphans department, took part in this mission to contribute B-H citizens wellbeing. IRWW in B-H, since 2013 successfully provided psycho-social and EMDR psychotherapy services and help throughout its projects primarily designed for orphans, widows and socially endangered population. All EMDR therapies were delivered from the first author of this presentation.

AIM: Our aim is to present socio demographic characteristics of clients seeking psychological support and help in IR WW B-H who were treated with EMDR therapy.

METHODS: We did overview of protocols for the clients to whom we helped by using standardised EMDR protocols.

RESULTS: In the period from 2013 to 2017, we used EMDR protocols for 154 clients: 122 (79.2%) were females, 130 (84.4%) were adults (25-56 years old), 21 (13.6%) adolescents (13-25 years) and 3 (1.95%) school children. In terms of their socio-economic status 54 (35.1%) clients were employed, 42 (27.3%) unemployed and 19 (12.3%) from socially endangered category. There were 30 (19.5%) university students, 55 (35.7%) were with university degree, 63 (40.9%) with high school education, 5 (3.3%) with primary school. Therapy type (completed, ongoing, incomplete), primary complains or reasons for seeking therapy, diagnoses and number of EMDR therapy sessions offered, will be addressed too.

CONCLUSION: Our results showed that EMDR therapy is very useful in helping to B-H population in very difficult post-war conditions for the wide varieties of clients.