EMDR AND DISSOCIATIVE SYMPTOMS

Abstract

Dissociative symptoms and processes are commonly co-morbid in a wide variety of psychological disorders. The dissociative process often interferes with effective treatment and therefore with positive treatment outcomes. Dissociative processes can occur on a continuum of severity with DID and DDNOS representing the most severe and treatment of these presentations often requires specialized training. However, dissociation also does frequently occur at a less severe but intrusive level for a wider range of clients, and needs to be taken into account, particularly when treating mood disorders.

A dissociative state occurs when the client is unable to cope, and therefore the information processing system is overwhelmed and shuts down, barring the integration and resolution of the traumatic experience. Dissociation can therefore be viewed as a last resort coping skill that allows individuals to protect themselves from very unpleasant and intolerable affect. While this protective response is adaptive, in that protects from the impact of the trauma, it becomes dysfunctional when the threat no longer exists but the response continues. It interferes with mindfulness and therefore the person loses information about themselves and their environment.

Objectives

• provide the participants with a theoretical understanding and framework that they can apply to the management and treatment of dissociative states
• provide the participants with an understanding of how dissociative states affect an individual’s level of functioning
• teach specific interventions intended to stabilize the client, create safety, help the client stay connected or get reconnected and therefore minimize dissociative symptoms and its effect
• teach the participants how to integrate these stabilizing techniques into the EMDR treatment process, in order to maximize a positive treatment outcome