Our Blogs
A is for Addiction. E is for EMDR. How Do You Bring them Together?
Hope Payson, LCSW, LADC is a widely respected expert in the treatment of addiction and trauma and an EMDR Consultant. She is highly sought-after trainer, consultant and presenter. The Center is offering her 12 CE training—Treating Addictions with EMDR Therapy: A Path to Reconnection. Check...
The Mindful Stance of the EMDR Therapist: Four Reminders to Avoid the Trauma Triangle
Let’s face it, one of the common adaptions to trauma that therapists share is the overdeveloped role of rescuer. It is easy for some of us to step into the trauma triangle through this dynamic. It is so automatic we may not even notice when we do.
Let’s be curious together:
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Are...
The TOUCH Technique as a Robust Mindfulness Practice
As trauma therapists, we understand that when we’re “triggered” by present situations that are similar to what we’ve been through before, the most important thing is to know that we’re triggered. We all know what it’s like to be “in it” rather than observing our reactions. To use a common metaphor...
EMDR for SAD—Seasonal Affective Disorder?
Think of SAD as An Annually Recurring Trauma to Understand Why EMDR Provides Relief.
Winter is only a month away and with its shorter days and longer nights, we can expect, again this year, a spike in cases of seasonal affective disorder (SAD). SAD is recognized as a major depressive disorder...
On Fidelity
The issue of fidelity has been around for as long as EMDR has been in existence. In the early days, before any training and accreditation standards existed, we discussed our cases together informally. We shared our fears and our mistakes as well as our triumphs. Francine published a newsletter with...
Therapist Burnout in the Wake of COVID
Now is the Time for Therapists to Heal Themselves
It has been two and a half years since COVID turned our world upside down. Images of death and dying flooded our screens, minds and bodies. The heroism of essential workers and their sacrifices weighed down our hearts. Death tallies rose daily...
What is Resolution, Actually?
In EMDR therapy, the resolution of a Target Memory is defined as a SUD of 0, VOC of 7 and a clear Body Scan. That means the client experiences no actual distress when bringing up what remains of the memory. The client also resonates with their positive belief to be “absolutely true,” about...
Hitting the Road With Your Clients: Are You Ready for the Journey Ahead?
You’ve finished your Basic Training and are excited to take your next steps. You now have this powerful, transformative therapy approach to offer, but what happens next?
I know the leap from training to practice is a scary one. I remember that feeling well from my own experience as a fledgling...
Mindfulness and EMDR Psychotherapy: More Than Just a 'Good Idea'
What is Mindfulness Really?
Incorporating mindfulness sounds like a good idea, right? We’ve all been inundated with versions of mindfulness over the last several decades. It’s become a popular transtheoretical concept that informs many spiritual and therapeutic practices. For us as therapists...
Riding Roller Coasters
It’s a predictable cycle.
I’ve always considered myself to be brave overriding my insecurities while practicing new skills in front of other people. It’s a predictable cycle. I start a new training feeling skilled. I learn something new and experience confusion. I finally integrate what I...
Relational EMDR Therapy℠ as the Bridge from Treatment to Transformation
Relational EMDR Therapy℠ combines symptom relief with emotional repair.
One of the cornerstones of EMDR therapy is the importance of staying out of the way and “letting whatever happens, happen.” That makes sense when you consider that EMDR was originally developed as a desensitization technique...
You’re Not Alone
The EMDR Therapist’s Role in the Healing Journey
How is EMDR therapy different from any other type of psychotherapy? It is unique in giving the brain the opportunity to access an experience as it was encoded at the time, bringing it into conscious awareness. We call that dual awareness—knowing...