Video Recording of Webinar:

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy: Basic Principles and Approaches with Children

Synopsis:  Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories (Shapiro, 1989a, 1989b). Shapiro’s (2001) Adaptive Information Processing model posits that EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing and processing of traumatic memories and other adverse life experience to bring these to an adaptive resolution. After successful treatment with EMDR therapy, affective distress is relieved, negative beliefs are reformulated, and physiological arousal is reduced. During EMDR therapy the client attends to emotionally disturbing material in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Therapist directed lateral eye movements are the most commonly used external stimulus but a variety of other stimuli including hand-tapping and audio stimulation are often used (Shapiro, 1991). Shapiro (1995, 2001) hypothesizes that EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory network, so that information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information. These new associations are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights. EMDR therapy uses a three pronged protocol: (1) the past events that have laid the groundwork for dysfunction are processed, forging new associative links with adaptive information; (2) the current circumstances that elicit distress are targeted, and internal and external triggers are desensitized; (3) imaginal templates of future events are incorporated, to assist the client in acquiring the skills needed for adaptive functioning.

EMDR has been adapted for use with children which will be the focus of today's webinar.

Biography:  Tim Mendoza is a certified PCIT, EDMR, and TFCBT therapist. He received his Master's degree from the University of Texas at El Paso, where he published his thesis on Levels of Stress Among Parents Who Have Children Diagnosed with Autism in the United States-Mexico Border Region. Tim has been an advocate and trainer for trauma informed care in various initiatives in the southwestern Texas/Chihuahua, Mexico border region, and has provided training for local nonprofits, FBI, Homeland Security, and school personnel. Tim served as Clinical Director at the El Paso Child Guidance Center in Texas for nine years. He is currently an Outpatient Supervisor at Bethanna, a non-profit behavioral services organization in Philadelphia, PA where he resides.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify what the Adaptive Information Processing Model (AIP) is.
2. Identify the eight phases of EMDR therapy.
3. Identify three specific strategies to use with children in EMDR therapy.

Learning Levels: Introductory

CE Approval and Process Information: