Positive psychotherapy in the treatment of traumatised Yezidi survivors of sexualised violence and genocide.

So far, the psychotherapeutic treatment of patients with trauma spectrum disorders has most commonly been based on a disease model in which the normal reaction to trauma results in negative emotions, cognitions and behaviour which, in turn, cause a pathological state of mind or disorder. Here, trauma is associated with distress. This model focuses on identification, classification and treatment of the pathological and maladaptive modulations of the stress response that lead to psychological and social suffering and disability. In contrast to that, recent models in the Psychotherapy of the sequels of extreme life experiences, such as Positive Psychotherapy, have rather focussed on the building of competence, resilience and posttraumatic growth. In this article we summarise our experience in treating Yazidi women for their complex psychological traumata resulting from their experience of ISIS terror. We will use a short summary of published secondary data and reviews and use case examples from our work as primary data to discuss possible individual and collective resources that can help them to recover and to maintain a positive perspective on their person and the world, in spite of their terrible traumatic experiences. Original models of Positive Psychology already paid considerable attention to strength and resilience. The new approach of 'second wave' Positive Psychology expands on this, suggesting that negative emotions as well cultural factors must also be integrated. This approach appears to be particularly helpful in the treatment of this group of Yazidi women. Likewise, it seems to be promising when treating similar groups of people who survived extreme terror and were continuously exposed to genocidal environments.