Have you had those moments in therapy where you feel stuck or there is looping on issues related to negative life experiences?
Those moment can be discouraging for both the client and the therapist. It is not uncommon for clinicians who are not trained in EMDR therapy to want to refer their clients for EMDR therapy and still maintain their role as the primary therapist to their client. EMDR is a powerful supplement for traditional psychotherapy. I regularly partner with therapists to help their clients resolve their traumatic material, phobias, and reoccurring sympathetic nervous system activation to move treatment forward.
During this process I target clients’ specific memories, body sensations, or limiting beliefs with EMDR. By narrowly targeting specific traumatic memories or intrusive material, brief adjunct EMDR Therapy can accelerate progress in traditional therapy, help the client and the primary therapist to resolve stuck points, and enrich their ongoing work. This is a great collaboration if it is managed well by both therapists, using a team approach to benefit the client.
Adjunct therapy does not replace or interrupt ongoing therapy; it is supplemental to the primary therapeutic relationship. With adjunct EMDR and Ego State therapy, clients are under the care and continue to receive treatment with their primary therapist. Usually adjunct therapy is short term (4-12 extended sessions) and desensitizes single incident trauma or simple phobias that interfere with the client’s therapeutic gains. Treatment is usually scheduled in an intensive format (minimum of 2-hour sessions up to 6-hour session intensive formats). The success of treatment is based on clearly defined goals for the EMDR therapist, defined in collaboration with the primary therapist and client.
Ready to be your Adjunct EMDR Therapist!
Adjunctive EMDR therapy may also be needed as a longer-term approach where EMDR is integrated in the ongoing therapy of the client, especially for clients with complex trauma or dissociation. This form of treatment needs more collaboration and is seen as a part of a comprehensive treatment for a client and is obviously different from a short-term approach which is generally used to get past one particular stuck point.
For this to work well therapists should respectfully share insights they have about the client and the progress being made. Regular 15-30 minute calls between therapists will need to be scheduled to maintain effectiveness.
Good candidates for brief adjunctive EMDR are generally
Well-functioning individuals who have a good working relationship with their therapist.
Primary therapist and client have indicated interest and willingness to actively collaborate with the EMDR therapist.
·The client and therapist can identify a clear target or stuck point they wish to have addressed with EMDR.
Clients without active substance abuse, self-injury, or safety risks,
Clients in a stable living situation.
Roles of Primary Therapist and EMDR Therapist
The primary therapists remain the therapist on record and maintain their treatment plan. The primary therapist manages crisis calls or client emergencies.
The EMDR therapist maintains responsibility the impact and effectiveness of the EMDR work both in and out of session.
Active collaboration is vital to the success for the client in this partnership.
Feedback about EMDR sessions is regularly provided to the primary therapist by the adjunctive EMDR therapist.
I maintain professional ethics and will only continue to work with the client if they are engaged in therapy with the primary therapist. I will not encourage clients to leave services with the primary therapist.
HOW TO GET STARTED WITH ADJUNCTIVE EMDR THERAPY
Primary therapist obtains a Release of Information from client for Kerr Counseling, PLLC./Annette Kerr, LPC and then faxes over the ROI to 817-483-6169 or contacts me by email or by phone to determine best method for delivery of ROI.
Primary therapist and Annette Kerr discuss issues related to referral and develop potential targets for EMDR processing.
Client makes appointment with me. Client can come to this website and use the contact form or email me at annette@annettekerrcounseling.com or call me.
Client and Annette Kerr discuss/complete the following: issues for treatment, develop clear targets for treatment, explanation of EMDR treatment and the process, client signs open release of information between both therapists and discuss EMDR therapist role in the treatment, importance of the primary therapy relationship.
The primary therapist and Annette Kerr agrees upon a method for active and reciprocal communication to coordinate the therapy.
Client, Annette Kerr and primary therapist agree upon frequency of EMDR sessions and primary counseling sessions. Then we get into the nitty gritty!
EMDR therapy is such a tremendously valuable approach that it warrants referrals. As therapists, we each bring something different and unique to the table and clients benefit from the different approaches to treatment and from the confidence that is developed through multiple positive therapeutic relationships.
Referring therapists or clients interested in adjunctive EMDR therapy please call or email me to discuss your needs.