The past week has brought some powerful and...
Some wonderful feedback on working Online
Naomi Fisher’s brilliant guidelines for working with EMDR online
Naomi Fisher is based in Paris, and has been working with EMDDR online for a good two years now – finding it, as I (Mark Brayne) and many of my colleagues do often at least as good as face-to-face (which of course it also is) and sometimes even better.
Naomi is an EMDR consultant and facilitator, and an independent clinical psychologist. She offers clinical supervision and therapy exclusively online, and can be contacted here.
And now, her guidelines, also downloadable here as a PDF: Using EMDR Online – Naomi Fisher.
Ten Tips for Using EMDR Online
Practice Based Article
I never thought it was possible to do EMDR online. As a clinical psychologist and EMDR Consultant who has been using EMDR since 2005, I occasionally did other sorts of therapy online if I had to, but EMDR? No. It seemed safer to keep that for my clinic room.
Then I moved to France. Suddenly I was not able to set up a practice or get a job, because here I had no core profession; my title did not automatically transfer. As I looked around for alternatives, working online – with people outside France – was an obvious choice. But I was still wary about using EMDR online.
As I started to build up my online practice, I couldn’t help trying out some EMDR preparation techniques. EMDR is the basis of my therapeutic practice, it forms the majority of what I do. I use CBT and ACT as well, but without EMDR I felt like there was a huge hole in my approach. So I started with some resource installation, installing a safe space, and tried out preparation techniques such as Flash, CIPOS and Loving Eyes. In order to do this, of course I had to work out how to best use BLS online. As I did this, I become more confident and started offering full EMDR processing to people who I felt confident could manage this.
It worked. Just like it does in the room. In fact, in some ways it felt even more attuned. I felt deeply in touch with my clients, thousands of miles away. We created a little therapeutic bubble, in virtual space. Now I’ve been using EMDR online for nearly two years, and this is what I’ve learnt.
Talking with children about Corona – and thoughts about AF-EMDR at this time…
First, a note from Miriam Chachamu about her excellent family-focused videos, including now on how to talk with children about Corona.
I am a family therapist, a relatively new and a bit silent member of this forum…
During the last year I have been developing a YouTube channel for parents, helping them understand their children and communicate better with them, to hopefully reduce attachment wounds for the future.
If you have time, please have a look! My last two videos are about talking to children about the virus and dealing with school closures, and my video about couples in self-isolation is scheduled for tomorrow.
If you like what you hear please subscribe and press the bell so you will hear from YouTube about new videos- usually every week or two
And to continue, my (Mark Brayne’s) response!
Summary of key points just gone out to new Online EMDR Google Group in the UK
Hi – welcome to this Google group for exchanging ideas and questions on how best to use EMDR online – a rapidly growing field, especially now with the Corona virus.
The group was set up a few years ago now but didn’t really take off. Its time however may now have come, so interested colleagues are welcome to try again to join, with the usual request that all contributions are respectful, kind and tolerant.
Note that this group is separate from and independent of the EMDR UK Association, and starts out with just the necessary moderation. Anyone trained in the use of EMDR is welcome.
To complement Alexandra Dent’s excellent summary note that can be shared with clients, we have a fair bit of background info on our EMDR Focus website.
Some basic bullet points for colleagues wanting to get going in short order. Above all, don’t be afraid. Online EMDR works brilliantly, so with a bit of courage and time to learn this, do jump in…
Excellent support ideas from Alexandra Dent for EMDR Online
Our EMDR Consultant colleague Alexandra Dent has put together a particularly excellent draft client contract for using EMDR online, which we’re happy to re-post here, with amendments, both as a downloadable PDF (11BW Online Sessions Explainer for Clients – minus MB details) and inline as follows.
ONLINE CLINICAL PSYCHOLOGY SESSIONS – v. March 2020
I would like to provide you with some practical information to help you understand what to expect with online sessions and also provide some tips to make sure the process runs smoothly.
It might feel scary or uncertain to have some sessions online but they can be as effective as meeting face to face, so long as you follow the sensible tips below. My goal is to create a safe and contained space to work with you.
If there are some material/documents that we need to use for the sessions (e.g. when I am going through psychoeducation and mindfulness), I will make sure that I have emailed this through to you before the session.
Unleash your EMDR goes online
I couldn't resist posting a response from one dear EMDR colleague to the news, summarised below, that our next Unleash your EMDR workshop, all two days of...
Simple Summary of AF-EMDR Bridging/Target Identification
Heather asked a really useful question the other day on the Attachment-Focused Google Group, and I thought it might be useful to post my response here for more general perusal.
I would appreciate your thoughts. My question is….in working with a 30 year old woman whose cause of her low self esteem and overwhelm and anxiety is her mother. Life time of criticism, emeshment, invalidation etc.
Woman is intelligent and has a successful career. Has a partner whose moved in and she’s worried he’s taking advantage and she’s being treated badly. On the other hand she doubts herself and feels she always in the wrong. My gut feeling based on his negotiations and behaviour is that he is manipulative but can be kind etc. His mother is also dismissive of my client and treats her like her waitress.
A brief thought about online work
What with Coronavirus and all, a lot of us EMDR therapists, I suspect, are going to be finding ourselves working online with clients in the coming weeks, so here’s copying in an email I sent just now (Sunday March 8) to a colleague contemplating doing this for the first time.
I don’t doubt that the ACTO training is very useful, but I have to admit to not having done it myself, and to be coping pretty well with the specific challenges of online work. Which aren’t really very different – technology and some of the basics permitting which are outlined in the discussions you’ve read – from working face to face.
So I’d just suggest giving it a go and seeing how you and your clients get on.
Parnell at last officially legit in the UK…
At last, some rather good and very-long-awaited news, from the EMDR UK-and-Ireland’s annual Consultants Day in London on November 16 2019.
Laurel Parnell, her Modified Protocol, and Attachment-Focused EMDR are now, officially and publicly, accepted as legitimate, mainstream EMDR.
No need for a long exposition here. Most of those in our network know the history.
Suffice it to say that, when asked at the Consultants Day for thoughts on the position now of Laurel Parnell and Attachment-Focused EMDR and her Modified Protocol, Marian Tobin on behalf of the Association’s Accreditation Committee observed simply that Laurel does have official Association CPD points, (which I might note here that, briefly at the height of our difficulties, was not always the case…), so there’s no issue.
Unleash your EMDR in NZ and Australia: Advanced Clinical Workshops in Attachment-Focused EMDR July-August 2020
AF-EMDR Workshops with Facilitated Practice/Practicums are for the first time heading to Australia and New Zealand!! With Mark Brayne, EMDR Europe-Accredited Consultant & Parnell Institute Trainer
Auckland, NZ, Sat-Sun July 25-26, 2020
Venue to be confirmed
Sydney Sat-Sun August 1-2, 2020
Sydney Harbour View Hotel, North Sydney
Melbourne Sat-Sun August 15-16, 2020
Melbourne Treacy Centre, Parkville
Perth August Fri-Sat August 21– 22, 2020
St Catherine’s College, Perth