Course Description

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 in this presentation by Roger Solomon, Ph.D.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to describe how disorganized attachment leads to complex trauma and dissociation of the personality.
2. Participants will be able to describe three methods that promote integration during the Preparation Phase.
3. Participants will be able to utilize EMDR therapy to target memories underlying attachment to the perpetrator.

Presenter(s)

Roger Solomon, Ph.D.

Roger Solomon, Ph.D., a psychologist specializing in trauma and grief, is the Program Director and Senior Faculty with the EMDR Institute and teaches EMDR therapy internationally. He is a consultant with the US Senate, and has provided consultation to organizations including the FBI, Secret Service, NASA, and US Army. He teaches EMDR therapy workshops on grief, complex trauma, and the Art of EMDR Therapy. Dr. Solomon has authored or coauthored 49 articles. His book on EMDR therapy and grief has been published in Italian (Lutto e EMDR, dalla Diagnosi all’ Intervento Clinico), and will soon be published in English.