Ana Gomez: EMDR Therapy for Children

Day 1: EMDR Therapy with Children with Complex Trauma: A Multimodal Approach

This presentation will focus on practical and creative strategies to make EMDR therapy developmentally sound for children, especially the ones with complex clinical presentations. Co-regulation and co-homeostasis, as well as the creation of safety, will be demonstrated and emphasized throughout the eight phases of treatment. A thorough exploration of phase one and how to gather clinical data with children will be addressed, as well as preparation and stabilization strategies. Play and expressive arts therapies will be demonstrated in addition to embodiments and the use of polyvagal-based strategies to enhance interoceptive awareness. We will also study how to increase children’s affect tolerance and ability to “be with” somatic and emotional data. Processing phases with a particular focus on the EMDR interweave will be covered.

9-10:30: Practical and creative strategies for working with complex histories of trauma: Making EMDR therapy developmentally sound for children. History-taking strategies & how to gather clinical data with children

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10:40-12 : How to co-create safety and regulation with children affected by complex trauma /Preparation phase. Using Play and expressive arts therapies, therapeutic embodiments and polyvagal-based interventions.

12-1 LUNCH BREAK

1-2:30: Interventions to increase children’s affect tolerance and ability to “be with” somatic and emotional data during reprocessing

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2:45-4:30 : How to utilize child friendly interweaves in EMDR

Day 2: Case Conceptualization and Decision Making in EMDR Therapy with Children and Adolescents

This presentation will address the challenges and intricacies as well as the step-by-step strategies for working with children and youth with symptoms arising from exposure to chronic traumatization. This presentation will address case conceptualization and treatment planning using EMDR therapy and the Adaptive Information Processing System as a framework.

This workshop will provide strategies and specific markers to assist clinicians in moment-to-moment decision-making as they navigate through the eight phases of treatment with children and youth. Dilemmas and decision-making challenges will be addressed. The titration continuum and how to navigate through it will be covered as clinicians move from stabilization into trauma processing phases. Co-regulation, co-homeostasis, and the restoration of safety throughout treatment will be emphasized and covered. Clinicians attending this presentation will leave with strategies they can apply immediately and a solid theoretical framework for case conceptualization and decision-making.

9-10:30: Case conceptualization & treatment planning strategies for children, adolescents, and their parents with complex histories of trauma (will explore through all eight phases of EMDR)

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10:40-12: Important elements for intentional decision making

12-1 LUNCH BREAK

1-2:30: When information processing stalls: strategies and techniques during reprocessing

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2:45-4:30 : Information processing theory and a multimodal approach to case conceptualization

12 EMDRIA CEUs Program Approval Number: #22018-04

12 Alaska LPC board course #:

Certificates will be available at the end of day 2

We will be at UAA in the Board Room 107

Wifi Available

Host or Publisher Alaska EMDR Network