Adjunct Therapy
Taralynn partners with primary therapists and their clients to target the clients’ specific memories, body sensations, or limiting beliefs with EMDR Therapy Intensives.
We’ve all had those moments in therapy where we feel stuck or loop on issues related to negative life experiences. It can be discouraging for both the client and the therapist. Often times, when the primary therapist and client collaborate with an EMDR therapist, this partnership can help move treatment forward.
At True Mind Therapy, Taralynn partners with primary therapists and their clients to target the clients’ specific memories, body sensations, or limiting beliefs with EMDR Therapy Intensives. By targeting specific traumatic memories or intrusive material, adjunct EMDR therapy can accelerate progress in traditional therapy, help the client and the primary therapist to resolve stuck points, and enrich their ongoing work.
Adjunct therapy does not replace or interrupt ongoing therapy; it is supplemental to the primary therapeutic relationship. Think about this like you would with other medical providers; you have a primary care physician that provides you with ongoing care, but at
times refers you to a specialist for certain issues. In this case, I’m the specialist. With adjunct EMDR therapy, clients continue to receive treatment with their primary therapist. Usually adjunct therapy is short term and desensitizes single incident trauma or simple
phobias that interfere with the client’s therapeutic gains. The intensive format is a fantastic fit for adjunct EMDR. The success of treatment is based on clearly defined goals for the EMDR therapist, defined in collaboration with the primary therapist and client.
Who is a good candidate?
• Individuals who have been engaged in traditional therapy but find themselves at a standstill or experiencing slow progress may benefit from the targeted approach of EMDR Adjunct Therapy.
• Individuals who are highly motivated and willing to work alongside a primary
therapist and EMDR therapist.
• Individuals without active substance abuse, self-injury, or safety risks.
• Individuals who have adequate access to social support networks.
• Individuals who have a secure and stable living environment.
Types of issues addressed with Adjunct Therapy
Although there are a variety of areas in which adjunct EMDR therapy would be suitable below are just a few examples:
A single traumatic event such as:
– A car accident
– A sexual assault or a violent attack
– A natural disaster
– An unexpected or sudden loss of a loved one
A specific issue or symptom such as:
– Re-occurring nightmares or flashbacks
– Panic attacks
– Simple phobias
– Overcoming Compulsive behaviors (Disordered Eating, Addiction (Detur Method)
– A specific life-adjustment event such as a recent divorce, or a relationship break-up. or a recent job loss
The process of adjunctive EMDR therapy is as follows:
• Primary therapist obtains a Release of Information from client and contacts EMDR
specialist to discuss referral.
• Primary therapist and EMDR therapist discuss issues related to referral and develop
potential targets for EMDR processing.
• Client makes appointment with EMDR therapist,
• Client and EMDR therapist discuss issues for treatment, develop clear targets for
treatment, thorough explanation of EMDR treatment and process, client signs open
release of information between therapists and discuss EMDR therapist role in the
treatment, importance of the primary therapy relationship.
• The primary therapist and EMDR therapist agree upon a method for active and
reciprocal communication to coordinate the therapy.
If you are feeling stuck in anxiety or trauma with your work with your primary therapist, reach out to me today to see if adjunct EMDR therapy may be a good fit to accelerate your progress.