EMDR Treatment of Complex PTSD: Lessons Learned Over Three Decades

Complex PTSD is associated with chronic or prolonged victimization, deprivation, and neglect. Many experts consider it to be a disorder of dysregulation—one that involves difficulties in regulating emotions, behaviors, relationships, attention and consciousness, self-perception, and somatic experience. This dysregulation leads to the development of affect phobias, insecure attachment styles, rigid defenses and avoidance patterns, high levels of dissociation, and the inability to access important internal resources. EMDR therapy adapted to meet the needs of Complex PTSD patients offers the promise of profound transformation and post-traumatic growth. In this plenary address, Dr. Korn offers relevant concepts and guiding principles from the field of traumatic stress studies to facilitate EMDR case conceptualization and effective intervention. She also reflects on the lessons she has learned over the course of the past thirty years treating Complex PTSD patients across inpatient, partial hospitalization, and outpatient settings.