Mental Health in Cameroon: The Challenge of Treating Trauma. Case Study of Treatment Using the EMDR Protocol

Abstract

This article presents a case study on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy in treating traumatic grief in Cameroon. The patient, aged 29, underwent nineteen sessions following the sudden death of her sister and her infant son. The intervention, based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, targeted the most disturbing memories, particularly an intrusive image related to her sister's death. The results show a significant reduction in emotional distress to a tolerable level. The introduction of a symbolic exercise—writing a letter to the deceased—promoted cognitive and emotional integration, facilitating acceptance of the loss and psychological reorganization. This study highlights the clinical and cultural relevance of EMDR in Cameroon and confirms its potential as a therapeutic tool for complex grief and trauma, even in contexts where mental health remains poorly integrated into healthcare practices.