Addressing Attachment Issues in Adults and Children through the 8 Phases of EMDR Therapy: Putting Attachment Theory into Practice – Central Time – Solomon and Wesselmann

Course Description

Participants will develop an understanding of the patterns of attachment, their impact on relationships and mental health, and implications for the 8 phases of EMDR Therapy. Participants will gain practical EMDR phase 1-8 methods specific to improving attachment security with children and adults and stopping intergenerational transmission of non-secure and disorganized attachment patterns. Video footage will illustrate the methods.

Learning Objectives

• Identify clues to secure, non-secure, and disorganized attachment patterns in adults and children.
• Apply modifications for non-secure and disorganized attachment patterns within the 8 phases of EMDR Therapy.
• Apply EMDR resource development methods to increase parents’ capacity for empathy and compassion toward their children.
• Identify common NCs with dismissive adults and avoidant children.
• Identify common NCs with preoccupied adults and ambivalent children.
• Identify common NCs with disorganized adults and children.
• Describe how to prompt parents with appropriate questions to elicit messages of love as an Attachment Resource Development activity with children and parents.
• Demonstrate how to introduce a “safe place for baby” resource activity with children using drawing materials or sand tray.
• Name at least three “empowerment interweaves” to utilize during EMDR reprocessing with children.
• Implement a float back with a parent, starting with a present-day triggering parenting situation.
• Name at least 3 characteristics of therapists who provide an emotionally corrective therapeutic experience for non-secure clients.
• Identify the “seemingly small” but impactful attachment-based memories that underlie current difficulties.

Topics Covered

The Human Dilemma

• Inborn need to connect/attach (safety)
• Connection can be dangerous
• Hyperarousal / hypoarousal of the nervous system determines attachment style
• Attachment style results from myriad of child[1]caregiver interactions

Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model

• Present problems result from experiences maladaptively stored in the brain
• Attachment based experiences can create vulnerability to later distressing experiences
• Past (e.g. attachment based memories) drive present triggers, and lay down future template
• EMDR therapy can reprocess maladaptively stored memories relating to attachment

Putting Attachment Theory into Practice

• EMDR therapy adaptations related to attachment patterns throughout the 8 phases
• Application of EMDR therapy with struggling parents
• Application of EMDR therapy to improve attachment patterns between children and parents

The Agenda:

Agenda Day 1

8:00-8:30 Check-in
8:30-10:30 Attachment and AIP model/ Strange Situation classifications
10:30-10:45 BREAK
10:45-12:00 Adult Attachment Interview classifications/ What we see and hear in therapy
12:00-1:00 LUNCH
1:00- 2:30 Intergenerational transmission of attachment patterns/ Child and parents patterns - what we see in therapy - common NCs
2:30-2:45 BREAK
2:45-4:30 Earned secure attachment, Internal Working Model, mirroring, and attunement - Intergenerational transmission of attachment - implications for EMDR Therapy
4:30-5:00 Q & A

Agenda Day 2

8:00-8:30 Check-in
8:30-10:30 Implications for EMDR therapy, the 8 phases (with videos)
10:30-10:45 BREAK
10:45-12:00 EMDR Therapy Preparation Phase with Parents (with videos)
12:00-1:00 LUNCH
1:00- 3:00 EMDR Therapy preparation phase with parents and children toward secure attachment, reprocessing phases with children with non-secure and disorganized attachment (with videos)
3:00-3:15 BREAK
3:15-4:30 EMDR reprocessing phases with children - Reflecting upon our own patterns and mindful attunement in the therapy office - Practicum activity for therapists
4:30-5:00 Q & A

Completion of an EMDRIA Approved Basic Training. If you did not receive your EMDR Basic Training form the EMDR Institute, please submit proof of completion (certificate of  completion) of an EMDRIA Approved Basic Training.