Approved for 6 EMDRIA Credits

In this live webinar, theories of spiritual abuse and approaches to understanding it are explored through pastoral, developmental, and clinical lenses. Special consideration will be paid to how spiritual abuse can be described as a trauma framed by the AIP model. Literature review within EMDR literature and in the larger canon of writing about spiritual abuse are woven into the lecture material. Interactive participation is encouraged throughout the presentation as a way of getting participants to engage in their own case conceptualization. Case studies from the presenter’s vast experience on using EMDR as a primary treatment approach in the treatment of spiritual abuse cases (comorbid with other diagnoses and as a general wellness issue) are an integral part of the presentation. Specific targeting sequences using negatively charged spiritual cognitions as access points to phases 3-6 are reviewed and shared. Challenges for personal reflection and other critical thinking activities will help participants understand how the construct of spiritual abuse is relevant to clinical practice and apply this knowledge to all 8 phases of the EMDR protocol. Finally, writing on the theory and practice of helping clients develop healthy spirituality is presented and discussed. Specific connections are made to implementing spiritual resourcing as a phase 2 strategy within EMDR, and for work in phases 7 & 8.