The Structure of EMDR Therapy: A Guide for the Therapist

Summary & key facts

EMDR Therapy began in 1987 and has grown into many different methods. The author says that growth lets therapists help more kinds of people, but it also risks losing the parts that make EMDR work. They propose naming the core elements of EMDR so therapists can follow what is shown to help, while still making careful changes to meet each client's needs. The paper also says research supports using the original standard steps and that the therapist–client relationship should be counted as a core part of EMDR.

Key facts:

• EMDR started from a single method introduced in 1987 and later developed into many different protocols and procedures.
• Researchers have found that using the original standard steps of EMDR is important for getting positive treatment effects.
• As EMDR methods multiplied, there is a greater risk that some versions will stray so far that they would no longer be considered true EMDR.
• The author argues we should define the core elements of EMDR beyond just following the original steps so therapists know what must stay the same and what can be adapted.
• The paper says good practice means both sticking to the model’s essential parts and being willing to adapt it to meet individual clients’ needs in different clinical settings.
• The author recommends treating the therapeutic relationship—the working bond between therapist and client—as a core part of EMDR Therapy.
• A clear definition of EMDR’s core elements could help guide both future research and practical clinical work.

Abstract

Since the introduction of EMD by Dr. Shapiro in 1987, which led to the development of EMDR Therapy, clinical experiences and research contributed to a variety of protocols and procedures. While this dynamic evolution within EMDR Therapy is offering more options to treat a variety of patients suffering from various disorders, there is a greater risk of deviations from the core framework of this approach that would no longer be understood as EMDR Therapy. While research shows that following Shapiro's standard protocols and procedural steps is important to achieve positive treatment effects, it seems prudent to define the core elements in EMDR Therapy beyond adherence to the standard protocol given the complexity of clinical demands in a variety of treatment contexts. The author proposes that best practices requires not only an adherence to the fidelity of the model, but a willingness to adapt the model in order to best meet the needs of our clients in a variety of clinical contexts. Defining the core elements that constitute EMDR Therapy offers both a structure that has been well established and offers a foundation from which clinical adaptations can be made that are within the realm of what is widely accepted as EMDR Therapy. Such a structure could also be used to define research as well as clinical applications. Additionally EMDR Therapy as a comprehensive psychotherapy approach implies that the therapeutic relationship is an important component and should be considered a core element of this methodology.

Topics

Counseling Practices and Supervision Personality Disorders and Psychopathology Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Categories

Clinical Psychology Psychology Social Sciences

Tags

Artificial intelligence Clinical psychology Computer science Core (optical fiber) Fidelity Law Political science Psychology Psychotherapist Realm Telecommunications Variety (cybernetics)