Ytje van Pelt

Ytje van Pelt is a PhD student and Lecturer affiliated with the University of Groningen’s Faculty of Behavioural and Social Sciences, specifically within the Department of Clinical Psychology & Experimental Psychopathology. Her research focuses on trauma and stressor-related disorders, particularly the effectiveness of intensive vs. spaced trauma-focused treatments for PTSD in adults and adolescents. She is a key member of a multicenter randomized controlled trial funded by ZonMw (Project No. 10390022210087), collaborating with institutions like Psy-zo!, the Military Mental Health Services, and Amsterdam UMC. As a lecturer, she teaches CBT and EMDR therapy at Psy-zo! Education. Additional roles include Chief Editor of the EMDR Magazine (Netherlands) and Chair of the European EMDR Practice Committee (EMDR Europe). Her clinical work emphasizes evidence-based interventions for PTSD, with a focus on occupational trauma victims.

Research Contributions: Her 2021 study in European Journal of Psychotraumatology demonstrated efficacy of combined prolonged exposure and EMDR for adolescents with severe PTSD. Her current PhD project evaluates cost-effectiveness of intensive therapy as first-line treatment for PTSD, challenging traditional stepped-care approaches. This work bridges clinical practice and health economics, aiming to optimize treatment accessibility and efficiency.

Awards/Grants: Funded by ZonMw, her research involves multi-institutional collaboration across the Netherlands.