Course Description

Participants interested in EMDR Early Interventions, rapid response, and humanitarian mental health work will be introduced to the Acute Stress Syndrome Stabilization (ASSYST) procedures – Low-Intensity-Interventions that can be administered in-person or online, and in individual and/or groups formats. These procedures can be administered within the first hours or days after an adverse experience when the person shows severe symptoms of psychological distress, physiological reactivity and/or deterioration in current functioning. The objective of these procedures is focused on the client’s nervous system activation regulation through the reduction or removal of the activation produced by the sensory, emotional, or physiological components of the intrusive distressing/pathogenic memories of the adverse experiences, to achieve optimal levels of nervous system activation; thus, facilitating the AIP system the subsequent adaptive processing of the information. Participants will learn the contexts in which to utilize the ASSYST procedures to enhance their clients’ EMDR experience in this presentation by Kelly Smyth-Dent, LCSW.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to explain the purpose and expected results of the ASSYST procedures when utilized in remote or in-person settings and in both individual and group formats.
2. Participants will be able to identify how the ASSYST procedures reduces symptoms related to Acute Stress Disorder (ASD), Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and/or intense psychological distress and physiological/somatic reactivity.
3. Participants will be able to describe how to incorporate the ASSYST procedures when providing EMDR Early Intervention or rapid response support.

Presenter(s)

Kelly Smyth-Dent, LCSW

Kelly is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, an EMDRIA-Approved Consultant and the Founder of Scaling Up. She has conducted trainings on the EMDR-PRECI, EMDR-IGTP and the ASSYST in France, Ethiopia, Bangladesh, India and throughout the U.S. She is a published researcher and a member of Dr. Jarero’s research team. In her role as a humanitarian worker, she has partnered with organizations, such as Action Against Hunger and Fortify Rights to provide EMDR therapy and advanced trainings to their staff and clients.