Course Description

1.8 million people are incarcerated in the U.S., and each year 650,000 people reenter society and return to their communities. Many have high ACES scores and childhood neglect histories contributing to the likelihood of reoffending. Many recidivists reenact early trauma or seek serially to maladaptively solve their attachment yearnings or have other unresolved traumatic motives. EMDR is successfully used in prisons, as will be conveyed using interview data with clinicians. As one presenter is a former homicide detective who conducted thousands of interviews/interrogations, case material will poignantly illustrate the psychological reenactment dynamics of offenders. One presenter uses Early Trauma EMDR to repair developmental trauma, and both use standard protocol to intervene in traumatic reenactments and intergenerational transmission of trauma. The audience will glimpse into a future where telehealth or direct EMDR reduces recidivism by resolving developmental trauma and injurious early relationship experiences before prisoners return to society.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to list five categories of serial crime that may be affected or caused by developmental trauma or neglect, as informed by the presenters summary of taxonomies from the research on criminal profiling.
2. Participants will be able to identify four common psychological themes that emerge from individuals’ early histories that research or clinical experience suggest correlate to recidivism in serial offenders.
3. Participants will be able to describe four considerations or problems for EMDR clinicians working with the incarcerated in prison settings, and identify possible solutions as described by the presenters, including how telehealth might resolve most of these challenges.

Presenter(s)

Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D.

Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D., authored and illustrated “When There Are No Words: Repairing Trauma and Neglect from the Attachment Period,” “Looking Through the Eyes of Trauma & Dissociation: An Illustrated Guide for EMDR Therapists and Clients,” and “We’re Listening, Body: Integrating EMDR, Somatic and Ego State Therapies.” She co-authored “The Neurobiology and Treatment of Traumatic Dissociation: Toward an Embodied Self.” A fellow of ISST&D, she teaches extensively internationally, and through sfrankelgroup.com, and served as an expert witness in criminal and civil cases. Interests include police burnout, treating first responders with EMDR, and how early childhood trauma can contribute to criminal recidivism.

Ret. Lt. Ken Gardner, MS

Ret. Lt. Ken Gardner, MS, holds an MS in clinical psychology from Madonna University. He is clinical director at Harold J. Love & Associates assessing and treating law enforcement with EMDR. He is a 34-year veteran of the Detroit Police Department, serving as commanding officer over the Homicide Task Force, managing FBI, DEA, ATF, Michigan State Police, and Detroit Police Sergeants and Detectives. He assisted Police Chief Craig analyzing critical/fatal officer incidents. He interviewed approximately 2000 homicide witnesses/suspects. Gardner’s been featured by the Detroit Free Press, Detroit WXYZ Channel 7 News; America’s Most Wanted, First 48, and Michigan’s Most Wanted.