EMDR, in its Standard Protocol form, has been shown to be effective in treating the sequelae of acute and posttraumatic stress disorders, including flashbacks and nightmares, without the need to integrate other approaches. The Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and most EMDR therapy practice—including specialty techniques and interventions—seem to assume these are the conditions under which EMDR therapy methods will be employed. However, when discrete, dissociative self-states are present, there are added dimensions of flashbacks that may, at the surface, resemble a ‘typical’ PTSD-type presentation but confound the use of EMDR therapy treatment-as-usual.

This online course will discuss ‘classic’ flashbacks and the typical means for treating them with EMDR therapy; name and elaborate four ways that more complex flashbacks may manifest through the lens of Karpman’s Drama Triangle; and, discuss the implications for EMDR therapy conceptualization/treatment.

This course was conceived to help EMDR therapists look beyond standard conceptualizations of flashbacks to consider those that may not be as straightforward to treat, and which may result in decompensation if treated without considering self-state activity as is typically seen in persons with complex dissociation. Participants will gain valuable conceptualization tools that will enhance their treatment of more complex clients.