Course Description

This presentation will explore the 8 phases of the EMDR Standard Protocol to help couples/clients feel empowered and capable of learning how not only to address trauma-related issues, but how to take care of their emotional needs outside of the therapeutic environment. By incorporating EMDR into working with couples, clients are able to develop adaptive responses to their triggers and learn that they don’t have to be “stuck in the pain” forever. Clinicians will learn how to access resourcing skills to improve their clients’ emotional needs. In this presentation, we will explore how EMDR helps clients feel empowered, as well as how to support clinicians in how to treat couple-related issues in a trauma-informed approach.

Learning Objectives

1. Participants will be able to define the connection between relationship/couple issues in a trauma-focused manner and explain the multi-faceted, prismatic manner in which signs of problems may manifest.
2. Participants will be able to implement at least 2-3 strategies from couples-related theory into early phases (Stabilization/Preparation), particularly for grounding and building awareness, and in later phases (Closure) for safely concluding and linking sessions.
3. Participants will be able to list 5-7 common areas of a client’s life/history that can impact the client’s ability to handle their relationship-related issues.

Presenter(s)

Patrick Monette, LMHC

Patrick Monette, LMHC, is a licensed mental health/addiction, certified trauma counselor, and certified life coach in Northern New York. He is a certified EMDR therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant and certified EFT couple’s therapist. He has taught at local universities and maintains a private practice focusing on couples work and trauma-informed treatment as well as gender issues, anger management, perinatal traumas and co-occurring disorders. As a mental health consultant and educator, he is actively engaged in the local community drug court systems.