EMDR Professional Training

Program Description 

This intermediate advanced course is designed for fully trained EMDR clinicians who want to develop their skills working with trauma, substance use disorder, and other challenging patterns of behavior using an "Integrative Developmental Approach" within an EMDR therapy framework. Addictions and other compulsive behaviors present clinicians with a complex clinical landscape, having bio-psycho-social seeds originating in early development including transgenerational contributions. This course explores the roles of Attachment, ACEs (Adverse Childhood Experiences), neurobiological / developmental vulnerabilities, along with a focus on ego states ("parts work") informed by the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model, integrated within the 8 phase, 3-prong EMDR protocol.

Abstract

Ambivalence about giving up an addiction or other maladaptive behavior pattern is to be expected since those behaviors once served a protective function for the client. Working with parts to promote a collaborative goal will be emphasized throughout the workshop. Elements from addiction-specific approaches currently in use (DeTUR, Positive Affect and Avoidance, Feeling States and Addiction Memory) are synthesized within this integrative approach. (*Individual existing addiction protocols will not be taught). The course focuses on case conceptualization and treatment planning, safe preparation inclusive of all protective parts, target selection, timing, and relapse prevention. Workshop participants learn how EMDR therapy, as a memory-based developmental treatment approach, can address these highly treatment-resistant behaviors to facilitate integrative healing. When underlying trauma and attachment wounds are healed, life's focus can shift from simply surviving--to thriving.  Learn how to work with your clients to systematically untangle the web of addiction and create a life worth living to its fullest.

Course Objectives

Upon completing this course, participants will be able to:

 1. Recognize "Addiction" as a complex neurodevelopmental disorder of attachment, affect dysregulation, response to adverse childhood experiences, learning, memory, and neuroplasticity.
2. Identify three ways in which addictions may be viewed through the lens of maladaptive attachment, impacting neurodevelopmental challenges in brain development.
3. Describe the Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study questionnaire to assist in developing an experience-specific, collaborative AIP treatment plan.
4. Explain the concept of "parts of self" in the early stages of treatment in preparation for later reprocessing, emphasizing the "helpful intention" of parts to meet perceived needs across the lifespan.
5. Distinguish between the basic concepts of (IFS) Internal Family Systems (Schwartz), a trauma-informed ego-state approach, highlighting the parallels between EMDR/AIP and IFS and how to integrate the two models throughout the 8 phases and 3 prongs of EMDR therapy.
6. Recognize clients’ addiction-specific preparation needs and resources to maximize treatment retention and relapse prevention.
7. Demonstrate focused sets of bilateral stimulation to access and enhance the cooperative connection between parts of self to reduce polarization of goals.
8. Identify at least two future fears and avoidance of recovery activities.
9. Demonstrate integration of existing AIP-informed addiction elements (DeTUR, Positive Affect/Feeling State, Avoidance and Addiction Memory) within EMDR therapy’s 8-phase, 3-pronged protocol (*Individual existing addiction protocols will not be taught). 
10. Demonstrate an addiction-specific AIP informed treatment plan including both rewarding and disturbing memory components, and clinically supported timing of targeting (what to do and when to do it).