***This is a “book” format course and is not included in the unlimited online package.

***This course requires a book purchase in addition to the exam fee.

The powerful benefits of EMDR in treating PTSD have been solidly validated. In this groundbreaking new work nine master clinicians show how complex PTSD involving dissociation and other challenging diagnoses can be treated safely and effectively. They stress the careful preparation of clients for EMDR and the inclusion of ego state therapy to target the dissociated ego states that arise in response to severe and prolonged trauma.

This book course is has been developed for EMDR practitioners to help them provide successful EMDR  treatment to clients diagnosed with complex trauma. Complex trauma victims have problems dealing with triggers, dissociation, affect disregulation, and stress. They require a tri-phasic trauma treatment approach integrated into the EMDR protocol: including 1: stabilization, 2: EMDR trauma processing and 3: resolution.

“Healing the Heart of Trauma and Dissociation with EMDR and Ego State Therapy” provides therapists with a comprehensive treatment approach that weaves ego state and dissociative treatment strategies into the EMDR protocol to help overcome these specific problems.

The material compiled in this book covers a range of theory—including the neurobiology of dissociation and the use of hypnosis, family systems therapy, and cognitive schemas. It also includes diagnostic categories (the spectrum of dissociative disorders and in particular dissociative identity disorder) and several client populations (couples, terror survivors). The case studies described in each chapter ground theory in practical application, illustrating the phased treatment techniques involved in preparing clients with Ego State therapy and related modalities within the  EMDR protocol.

The book course provides  an opportunity for  EMDR trained clinicians to learn how to apply this integrative EMDR treatment in their practice, while earning 8 EMDRIA CE credits.

PLEASE NOTE: This course is not a substitute for the EMDR Basic Training and does not qualify as training in EMDR.

 Program Objectives:

•  Clinicians will be able to identify skills, interventions and modalities to teach in the stabilization phase that help clients manage symptoms of dissociation and deal successfully with  problems of affect regulation.
• Clinicians will learn how to assess clients for dissociative problems and to determine the kind of dissociative disorder and type of PTSD (i.e. DID, DDNOS, complex PTSD) so that they can develop a treatment plan and determine which stabilizing interventions to utilize.
• Clinicians will understand the various theories of dissociation and current attachment theory. They will have an understanding of the neurobiology of dissociation and how attachment problems and dysregulated physiological systems play a part in  the development of dissociation.
• Clinicians will be able to identify the tri-phase trauma model of treatment and how it can be integrated into the eight phase EMDR protocol.
• Clinicians will understand ego state theory and therapy principles and how and when to integrate them into the tri-phase trauma model. They will learn how to work with ego states in each phase of the EMDR protocol.
• They will learn the red flags that indicate a need for a longer stabilization phase of treatment prior to EMDR trauma processing and the technical challenges they may encounter in working with dissociative clients, especially those with Dissociative Identity Disorder.
• Clinicians will learn new treatment approaches in the EMDR  treatment of Dissociative Identity Disorder: ACT-AS-IF approach for preparation phase work and  the ARCHITECTS process for conducting EMDR sessions.
• Clinicians will learn readiness criteria for moving clients from stabilization into the trauma processing phase of EMDR treatment.
• They will learn how to combine hypnosis with EMDR and ego state work for ego strengthening in the preparation phase of treatment, stressing the importance of nurturing ego strength in clients suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder.
• Clinicians will learn how Cognitive Schema Work is useful in combination with ego state work to identify maintenance of irrational beliefs and behaviors and how schema work is used to identify the most accurate negative cognition.
• They will learn how to reverse dissociative processes in order to preserve emotional safety and prepare for trauma processing and deal appropriately with avoidance defences which can stall processing if ignored.