The ‘readiness moment’

The ‘readiness moment’ – Assessing a pre-teen child’s readiness for Phase 3 in EMDR Therapy.

Overview

This presentation provides research findings from recent UK doctoral level research on the application of EMDR with pre-teen children. The presentation will provide a brief overview of previous research in EMDR, highlighting its efficacy as a trauma treatment. Then the gaps in EMDR research with pre-teen children will be highlighted, starting with the adaptation and application of the phases. This presentation will provide new insights for EMDR therapists working with children and their families, demonstrating how clinicians can adapt, and more effectively apply phases 1 and 2 with pre-teen children. The research presented respects Shapiro’s original EMDR phases and looks at how they can be practically adapted and applied in EMDR therapy with children. The model  will help clinicians to reflect upon their existing practice and may have the potential to contribute, in future, to the child and adolescent training for EMDR practitioners. This presentation will also demonstrate how the research was carried out, including looking at methodology, research findings, as well as on the strengths and limitations of the research. Attendees may also find this helpful in terms of thinking about their own practice and how they could develop and contribute to future research.

Aims and Learning Objectives: Please click here

By Dr Simi Kaur Bansi-Sohal, Counselling Psychologist & EMDR Accredited Practitioner with children & adults.

Simi has been working as a Chartered Counselling Psychologist for over 10 years with children, young people, adults, and families. She has worked with children experiencing a range of mental health difficulties in NHS CAMHS services, in community and inpatient services, in charitable organisations, and private settings. She has a particular passion for attachment and trauma work. Simi’s introduction to EMDR came after discussing a personal difficulty during her supervision, where EMDR was mentioned by her supervisor at the time. The door to EMDR was opened, and Simi attended EMDR for personal therapy. Following a positive personal therapy experience, Simi felt inspired and decided to train in EMDR in 2014. In her own professional work, she noticed the huge difference the approach was making to the children and the adults in therapy who were experiencing various levels of trauma, anxiety, and depression. She completed EMDR training with both adults and with children, and became an accredited EMDR practitioner. With supervision support, her curiosity, knowledge and questioning of possible gaps in the EMDR approach, and the research base around it, started to grow. This became the focus for her doctoral level training, involving research on EMDR and pre-teen children. The research aim was to understand how to assess a pre-teen child’s readiness for phase 3 and the findings developed a visual model titled, “The readiness moment: Phases 1 and 2 with pre-teen children.” The main findings highlighted the importance of assessing the attachment relationship, psychoeducation and explanation of EMDR. In addition, the findings also highlighted the importance of being creative, and understand “the readiness moment” leading to Phase 3 desensitisation of trauma.