EMDR Therapy for Complex PTSD: An Integrative Approach to Treating Clients

Many therapists are trained in the treatment of single traumatic events. However, clients with complex PTSD (C-PTSD) come to therapy with an extensive history of trauma that often begins in childhood and continues into adulthood with layers of personal, relational, societal, or cultural losses. The most common question asked by EMDR therapists treating C-PTSD is, “where do I start?” In this training, you will develop confidence in your ability to successfully organize and prioritize your client’s treatment goals. You will learn how to effectively work with clients who have experienced multiple traumatic events and prolonged trauma exposure including the chronic stress of the Covid-19 pandemic. You will learn valuable leading-edge strategies that integrate polyvagal theory, relational psychotherapy, Parts Work Therapy, and Somatic Psychology, with EMDR therapy. We will discuss how to successfully stabilize the dysregulated affect and dissociative symptoms that accompany C-PTSD in preparation for traumatic event desensitization and reprocessing.