Phase One as Clinical Foundation: Clarifying Processes and Decision-Making in EMDR Therapy with Complex Trauma

Working with complex trauma in EMDR therapy often requires more than identifying a single target for reprocessing.

This article explores the foundational role of Phase One in EMDR therapy with clients experiencing complex trauma, offering a structured and decision-guided approach to assessment, case conceptualization, and pacing. Grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and phase-oriented trauma treatment, the article examines how developmental history, attachment patterns, dissociation, and present-day functioning intersect in complex clinical presentations to inform safe and effective treatment planning.

Learn more in this article from the Spring 2026 issue EMDR and Complex Trauma of Go With That Magazine® by Jill Hosey, MSW, RSW, LICSW.

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