Bespoke Members
Introduction
Psychotherapy is difficult. It is arguable that trauma focussed psychotherapy is even more challenging. So, it is not surprising that when therapist gets stuck in processing with their clients, they can quickly lose confidence leading to confusion, drift, or avoidance of trauma confrontation. This workshop aims to refresh clinician’s knowledge on EMDR therapy’s core unblocking strategies together with teaching some approaches across all the 8 phases that they may never have considered before. It will also spend time covering cognitive interweaves including the many options they offer to get unstuck. There will also be considerations to how issues in treatment planning, preparation phases and in therapy review might also provide clues to why the client is not progressing as predicted.
The event will be equivalent to 5.1/2hrs of CPD.
Content
The research that has led to EMDR Therapy being recommended by various national and international bodies is nearly all based on the effectiveness of the standard EMDR protocol across the complexity spectrum. However, when clients get stuck clinicians often look to other therapies or alternative EMDR protocols that have yet to develop an evidence base, potentially creating further issues such as therapy drift. Therefore, this day will focus on exploring reasons for blocks across each of the 8 phases of the standard protocol and ideas that can be utilised at any of these points.
Discussions and questions will be actively promoted throughout to make the day as practical as possible (although this is not a clinical supervision day). The strategies covered will be applicable to real-life and ‘messy’ clinical sessions. It will be delivered in Matthew’s friendly, clear, and empathic teaching approach that will make the learning fun, engaging, and interesting.
Learning Objectives
1. Refresh knowledge on Core Unblocking strategies within EMDR Therapy
2. Reviewing core unblocking strategies across the 8 phases
3. Revision of cognitive interweaves.
4. Explain how treatment planning, the preparation phase, and EMDR therapy reviews might can sometimes help to understand why a client might not be progressing.
Training Modalities
Didactic content, role play clinical videos, case discussions, questions, and answers. The day will be hosted online via Zoom webinars.
Key References
Baas et al (2023) How safe is the treatment of pregnant women with fear
of childbirth using eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy? Obstetric outcomes of a multi-center RCT. Acta Obstet Gynecol Scand. 2023;00:1–11.
Coventry, P. A., Meader, N., Melton, H., Temple, M., Dale, H., Wright, K., … Gilbody, S. (2020). Psychological and pharmacological interventions for posttraumatic stress
disorder and comorbid mental health problems following complex traumatic events:
Systematic review and component network meta-analysis. PLoS Medicine, 17(8).
Article e1003262. http://refhub.elsevier.com/S0272-7358(22)00124-6/rf0110
Dautovic et al (2016) Pediatric seizure-related posttraumatic stress and anxiety symptoms treated with EMDR: a case series. European Journal of Psychotraumatology 2016, 7: 30123 - http://dx.doi.org/10.3402/ejpt.v7.30123
de Jongh, A., et al. (2019). The current status of EMDR therapy involving the treatment of complex posttraumatic stress disorder. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 13(4), 284–290. https://doi.org/10.1891/1933-3196.13.4.284
Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (2023) VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Acute Stress Disorder. https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/ptsd/VA-DoD-CPG-PTSD-Full-CPGAug242023.pdf
Every-Palmer et al (2024) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy Compared to Usual Treatment for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder in Adults With Psychosis in Forensic Settings: Randomized Controlled Trial. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy. Advance online publication. https://dx.doi.org/10.1037/tra0001643
Forgash et al (2013) Case Consultation: Traumatized Pregnant Woman. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, Volume 7, Number 1
Gjerstad et al 2024 How is trauma-focused therapy experienced by adults with PTSD? A systematic review of qualitative studies BMC Psychology (2024) 12:135
https://doi.org/10.1186/s40359-024-01588-x
Health Education England & University College London (2021) A Competence Framework for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
https://www.ucl.ac.uk/pals/research/clinical-educational-and-health-psychology/research-groups/core/competence-frameworks-18
Hoppen et al (2024) The efficacy of psychological interventions for adult post-traumatic stress disorder following exposure to single versus multiple traumatic events: a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials. Lancet Psychiatry 2024 Feb;11(2):112-122. doi: 10.1016/S2215-0366(23)00373-5
Kip et al (2023) Efficacy of psychological interventions for PTSD in distinct populations - An evidence map of meta-analyses using the umbrella review methodology. Clinical Psychology Review. Volume 100, March 2023, 102239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2022.102239
Kitchiner, N. J., Lewis, C., Roberts, N. P., & Bisson, J. I. (2019). Active duty and ex-
serving military personnel with post-traumatic stress disorder treated with
psychological therapies: Systematic review and meta-analysis. European Journal of
Psychotraumatology, 10(1). Article 1684226. http://refhub.elsevier.com/S0272-7358(22)00124-6/rf0255
Khan et al (2018) Cognitive Behavioral Therapy versus Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in Patients with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: Systematic Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. Cureus 10(9): e3250. doi:10.7759/cureus.3250
Knipe, J. (2015). EMDR toolbox: Theory and treatment of complex PTSD and dissociation. Springer Publishing Co.
Lundh et al (2017) Industry sponsorship and research outcome. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.MR000033.pub3
Marich J. (2012) What Makes a Good EMDR Therapist? Exploratory Findings From Client-Centered Inquiry. Journal of Humanistic Psychology
Mavranezouli I, Megnin-Viggars O, Daly C, Dias S, Welton N, Stockton S, et al. Psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults: a network meta-analysis. (2020) Psychol Med. 50(4):542–55. pmid:32063234
Mavranezouli I, Megnin-Viggars O, et al. 2020. Cost-effectiveness of psychological treatments for post-traumatic stress disorder in adults. PLoS ONE, 15, e0232245. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0232245
Nissen-Lie et al (2015) Love Yourself as a Person, Doubt Yourself as a Therapist? Clin Psychol Psychother. Jan;24(1):48-60. doi: 10.1002/cpp.1977.Epub 2015 Oct 9.
NHS England (2023) CLINICAL GOVERNANCE OF EMDR IN IAPT, ADULT COMMUNITY MENTAL HEALTH AND PERINATAL MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES. https://emdrassociation.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/HEE-NHSE-EMDR-Clinical-Governance-Guidance.pdf
National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) (2018) Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). London: NICE.
Ogden, P., Minton, K., & Pain, C. (2006). Trauma and the body: A sensorimotor approach to psychotherapy. W. W. Norton & Company.
Shapiro, F. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures (3rd ed.) New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Van Vliet et al (2024) Predictors and moderators of treatment outcomes in phase-based treatment and trauma-focused treatments in patients with childhood abuse-related post-traumatic stress disorder. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY. VOL. 15, NO. 1, 2300589 https://doi.org/10.1080/20008066.2023.2300589
Varese et al (2023) Trauma-focused therapy in early psychosis: results of a feasibility randomized controlled trial of EMDR for psychosis (EMDRp) in early intervention settings. Psychological Medicine 1–12. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291723002532
Wagenmans et al (2018) The impact of childhood sexual abuse on the outcomes of trauma-focused treatment for PTSD. EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF PSYCHOTRAUMATOLOGY, 2018 VOL. 9, 1430962 https://doi.org/10.1080/20008198.2018.1430962
Wang et al (2024) Eye movement intervention facilitates concurrent
perception and memory processing. Cerebral Cortex, 2024, 34, bhae190
https://doi.org/10.1093/cercor/bhae190
Wright et al (2023) Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy for Childhood Sexual Abuse Memories in Men Who Have Sexually Offended
Against Children: Changes in Perceptions of Abuse and Offending. JOURNAL OF FORENSIC PSYCHOLOGY RESEARCH AND PRACTICE
https://doi.org/10.1080/24732850.2023.2279318
About the presenter
Matthew Wesson is an EMDR Europe Senior Accredited Trainer and Consultant. He is a former President of the EMDR Association UK and remains a specialist advisor to the board of trustees. He has 30 years’ experience in the field of mental health in numerous different settings including defence, NHS, industry, and private practice. He specialised in trauma and PTSD through his 21 years’ experience in the military both in the UK and combat zones abroad including Iraq and Afghanistan. He has been using EMDR therapy within his clinical work for 25 years. He is also accredited with the BABCP with a particular interest in schema therapy.
Matthew has been published in several peer reviewed journals on EMDR and CBT and has spoken at international events. He represents EMDR therapy at the national NHS England Talking Therapies Expert Advisory Group and regularly advises NHS Scotland on matters around EMDR provision and supervision. Clinically Matthew currently works for an NHS forensic service in both a specialist outpatient clinic and in a Category B prison providing EMDR and schema therapy.
Who should attend
This workshop is suitable for EMDR therapists of all levels, from beginners to consultants. You must have completed an EMDR Europe Accredited Standard/Basic/Foundation Training.