Mindfulness, Meditation and EMDR

Effective EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) psychotherapy depends on clients’ ability to pay attention to their direct experience. Clients must be able to stay present with the intensity of their emotional, physical and sensory experience. They must also be able to let this intense experience move through their body-mind system.

In the last decade much research has demonstrated the effectiveness of mindfulness and meditation in psychotherapy work. Mindfulness appears to facilitate neuroplasticity and neural integration. The principles of mindfulness and meditation can be extremely beneficial when integrated with EMDR.

In this two day workshop you will learn to use a range of mindfulness and meditation practices to enhance client affect tolerance, somatic awareness, observer capacity and self-acceptance. This is particularly relevant to the Preparation phase of EMDR work with clients, and can be integrated with Resource Development and Installation (RDI).

Successful therapy depends strongly on the client-therapist relationship. The workshop also focuses on enhancing your presence and attunement using mindfulness and meditation techniques.

This advanced EMDR Training is only for clinicians who have fully completed an EMDRIA approved Basic EMDR Training.

By attending this workshop you will be able to:

1. Describe the basic principles of Mindfulness and Meditation and the synergy between Mindfulness and EMDR.
2. Summarize the positive outcomes of Mindfulness, including indications of enhanced neuroplasticity and neural integration.
3. Utilize Mindfulness techniques with clients in the Preparation Phase of EMDR, particularly for strengthening observer capacity, affect tolerance and body awareness.
4. Integrate Mindfulness techniques with Resource Development and Installation (RDI).
5. Use Mindfulness and Meditation to enhance your presence and attunement with clients.

The training includes talks, client case examples, experiential exercises, small group practice, and questions/discussion. The format is about 50% didactic and 50% experiential. Written handouts and an audio MP3 of some of the mindfulness practices will be provided for attendees.

Why attend?

• Expand your psychotherapy skills and benefit your clients
• Enhance your own well being
• Network with other EMDR clinicians
• Get EMDRIA and NBCC CEUs