(Vienna, 06-10-2025) The Trauma and Stress Outpatient Clinic (TRUST) at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Medical University of Vienna and the University Hospital Vienna has created a new type of therapy for female adolescents who have experienced violence. Based on a model that has already been tested on adults, a new therapy programme has been established in cooperation with Stanford University. BEAR group psychotherapy combines elements of trauma therapy with self-assertion and self-defence training. The project was made possible by a donation from the Rotary Club Wien-Stephansplatz.
BEAR stands for ‘Building Empowerment and Resilience’ and expresses the aim of strengthening young women who have experienced violence on several levels: "It was important to us that, in addition to coping with trauma, the element of self-empowerment was also taken into account, enabling young people to step out of the victim role," explains psychologist Lisa Kastberger, who is involved in the programme. The project is being scientifically monitored to examine its effectiveness in this pilot phase. "For us at the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, it is crucial to understand how the therapy works and which elements are important for young people in order to provide a tailor-made and attractive service," emphasises Julia Schwarzenberg, who heads the TRUST outpatient clinic together with Petra Sackl-Pammer.
The programme will exist alongside other trauma-specific procedures that are already established. The focus on trauma research helps to further improve the care of children and adolescents through innovative models. "We offer various evidence-based forms of trauma therapy at our clinic and provide scientific support for them. It was important to us to expand the programme to include an element that makes it easier for young people to access and provides additional motivation to seek help", emphasises Paul Plener, Head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at MedUni Vienna and University Hospital Vienna. The new therapy programme started at the beginning of October, is designed to run for several sessions and will be continuously evaluated. Anyone interested in participating can register by calling 01-40400-30293 or sending an email to trustambulanz@meduniwien.ac.at.