EMDR therapy is highly effective at deeply resolving difficult memories for clients who are adequately prepared for this therapeutic approach. However, it also requires the presence of sufficient adaptive information for the dysfunctional material to process. Racial trauma, which involves experiences of oppression and discrimination tied to a person’s social identity, presents unique challenges. Clinical experience has shown that many racial trauma survivors actually present with symptoms that have a high degree of overlap with complex trauma survivors. Through consultations the presenters have found that EMDR therapists often face the greatest difficulties when they fail to assess and plan for complex trauma and dissociative symptoms.

In general, the prevalence of complex trauma may be underestimated, and there is an underutilization of methods that are based on the principles of memory reconsolidation. Learning intuitive techniques that potentiate complex trauma treatment will be beneficial for all EMDR therapists. To this end, Flash approaches that use a variety of client-centered external stimuli—such as video, music, and culturally significant foci—not only meet the needs of complex trauma survivors but also empower those whose trauma is linked to historical marginalization and underrepresentation.

This online course will begin with a short case study. Then there will be a brief overview of Rhythm and Processing (RAP) strategies, a framework for integrating Anti-Racist Psychotherapy, and how this approach can serve as an adjunct to EMDR therapy. It will also explain Flash approaches, particularly the Four Blinks method, and demonstrate their utility across the eight phases of EMDR therapy. The online course will conclude with a sample video demonstrating the use of a floatback technique and the RAP technique (combining tactile bilateral stimulation and a modified Flash approach) to assist in processing a trauma target related to a client’s recent experience of distress.