Treatment of Traumatic Attachment to the Perpetrator

This workshop will focus on treatment of complex trauma with the emphasis on treatment of the traumatic attachment to the abuser. Treatment for victims of abuse not only has to deal with the trauma of what happened, but the traumatic attachment to the abusers. Clients often have conflicting emotions and perceptions about their abusers, with some parts having an idealized view while other parts fearing and/or hating them. Other parts can have a positive attachment to their perpetrator and not acknowledge the abuse. Other parts will imitate the perpetrator and reenact the abuse with the parts that underwent the original abuse. EMDR therapy, with appropriate modifications for complex trauma is helpful in treating both the trauma of the event and the attachment trauma. Teaching points will be illustrated by client videos of EMDR treatment sessions.