Attachment-Focused EMDR: Healing Relational Trauma by Laurel Parnell Ph.D.

by Laurel Parnell

Much has been written about trauma and neglect and the damage they do to the developing brain. But little has been written or researched about the potential to heal these attachment wounds and address the damage sustained from neglect or poor parenting in early childhood. This book presents a therapy that focuses on precisely these areas. Laurel Parnell, leader and innovator in the field of eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), offers us a way to embrace two often separate worlds of the science of early attachment relationships and the practice of healing within an EMDR framework. This beautifully written and clinically practical book combines attachment theory, one of the most dynamic theoretical areas in psychotherapy today, with EMDR to teach therapists a new way of healing clients with relational trauma and attachment deficits. Readers will find science-based ideas about how our early relationships shape the way the mind and brain develop from our young years into our adult lives. Our connections with caregivers induce neural circuit firings that persist throughout our lives, shaping how we think, feel, remember, and behave. When we are lucky enough to have secure attachment experiences in which we feel seen, safe, soothed, and secure--the "four S's of attachment" that serve as the foundation for a healthy mind--these relational experiences stimulate the neuronal activation and growth of the integrative fibers of the brain.EMDR is a powerful tool for catalyzing integration in an individual across several domains, including memory, narrative, state, and vertical and bilateral integration. In Laurel Parnell's attachment-based modifications of the EMDR approach, the structural foundations of this integrative framework are adapted to further catalyze integration for individuals who have experienced non-secure attachment and developmental trauma.The book is divided into four parts. Part I lays the groundwork and outlines the five basic principles that guide and define the work. Part II provides information about attachment-repair resources available to clinicians. This section can be used by therapists who are not trained in EMDR. Part III teaches therapists how to use EMDR specifically with an attachment-repair orientation, including client preparation, target development, modifications of the standard EMDR protocol, desensitization, and using interweaves. Case material is used throughout. Part IV includes the presentation of three cases from different EMDR therapists who used attachment-focused EMDR with their clients. These cases illustrate what was discussed in the previous chapters and allow the reader to observe the theoretical concepts put into clinical practice--giving the history and background of the clients, actual EMDR sessions, attachment-repair interventions within these sessions and the rationale for them, and information about the effects of theinterventions and the course of treatment.

Genres: Psychology, Counselling, Mental Health, Nonfiction, Audiobook, Relationships, Self Help

Unknown Binding

First published May 13, 2013

Reviews

[Nina (ninjasbooks) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is essential reading for every EMDR-therapist. It is so common that clients have attachment wounds on top of traumatic events, and this book was so relevant for helping a wide array of clients. I finally feel I have concrete tools when clients starts looping while processing traumatic events and can’t wait to start using new resources

[Hayley Bowers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential for every EMDR therapist to read. This book had so many helpful tools and case studies, and has helped transform my clinical practice!

[Robert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finally finished this book! Can't believe I started it last June - yikes. Now I have to start it over and really study it. This book is really terrific and the ideas and concepts for AF-EMDR are incredibly useful as I integrate them into my practice. I am totally sold on this and hope to learn way more about this in the future, maybe even doing some training with Parnell. Highly, Highly recommend for any clinician doing EMDR. (and every clinician should be doing EMDR this point, right?)

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great resource for EMDR therapists with clients that have attachment issues and trauma. It gives effective tools to use as well as modifying standard protocol for EMDR. The resourcing for applying safety in a session with a client is so fully explained, giving me confidence to assistant clients when they are traumatized.

[Lance Hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most helpful books I’ve read for my work as a counselor. And definitely the best book I’ve read on EMDR. I’ll definitely be returning to this book.

[Julian Meynell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am reviewing this book not as a practitioner of EMDR or a potential practitioner but as a person with PTSD and attachment issues that is contemplating having EMDR treatment. I have found that what is best for me is to understand what exactly I am getting myself into and the best way to do that is to read what therapists say to each other and not what they say to their patients. My PTSD is only indirectly connected to my attachment issues. My attachment issues go back to early childhood but the PTSD originates from an abusive relationship that I only tolerated because of attachment issues. Somewhat surprisingly this pattern, which I cannot believe is that rare is not addressed in this book. In fact, the book is only peripherally related to cases such as my own, so in many ways I am not the best person to review this.

However, the book advocates a fairly flexible approach . Unlike Francine Shapiro's work which seems to me best suited to fairly discrete traumas, this one is aware of the fact that there may be a great many traumas and does not have such a rigid schema. I liked that about the approach. However, there is a great emphasis on the creation of an ideal mother and on other resource figures. While that may work for other people, I could not imagine it working for me. My mind would just reject that as not relevant to what actually happened. I feel that Parnell's approach is the right one, but the discovery of this idealization of resource figures has ended up being the focus of her work which is unfortunate.

Also, it is becoming clear to me that in these books training people in EMDR, many of the case examples do not focus on intensely horrific experiences and I am not sure why this should be the case so often. There is a real focus in EMDR books when people are discussing traumatic incidences and giving transcripts of sessions not to give transcripts of sessions where physical survival is at stake or where the acts that are being done are objectively terrifying and I am not sure what the aversion is to this. Surely, we want to prepare therapists for the worst things that they are going to hear.

Anyway, an interesting book that begins the process of dealing with attachment issues as they interact with PTSD in an EMDR treatment context, but which is nowhere close to the end.

[Luiz Fabricio Calland Cerqueira · Rating 4 out of 5]

Attachment Focused EMDR

É uma percepção mais humanizada e interpessoal do EMDR. Muitas das alterações do protocolo que Paulsen sugere, eram modificações que eu fazia intuitivamente mas realizava bancando os resultados eu mesmo e um pouco envergonhado de mexer no protocolo base do manual.

Evidente que depois de algumas centenas de horas aplicando e flexibilizando EMDR e seu protocolo, esse receio de mexer com ele some. Entendo que a rigidez inicial existe para que o terapeuta iniciante não provoque mais mal do que bem. Então, é um alívio enxergar um livro que seja tão incisivo com essas alterações, onde eu enxergue algumas das minhas, e grandes sugestões de para onde evoluí-las.

A parte de instalação de recursos, ou tapping resources, como Paulsen sugere, é, em minha opinião, a principal e mais desafiadora contribuição dessa obra. Já li outros materiais sobre instalação de recursos, mas nada que eu tenha julgado tão ousado. Muitas dessas intervenções nem sequer me enxergo capaz de fazer. Em parte pela trava de “O Cérebro sabe para onde deve ir”, e em parte porque não dialogam com meu estilo de trabalho. Ainda assim, sinto grande inspiração por esse trabalho.

Os estudos de caso foram um pouco repetitivos e desnecessariamente longos. Fora isso, um ótimo livro para o praticante. Especialmente para o mais experiente.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I suppose that since I've never experienced anywhere near this level of preparation for EMDR, I'm not surprised after all that I've slummed through sessions with four different practitioners without actually getting anywhere. I do wish there was a case study of someone for whom reaching their emotions is really hard, even though they are obviously being controlled by them; Parnell discusses the existence of such people (emotionally neglected, as I recall) but the case studies focus on people whose emotions are threatening to blast them to pieces on contact and who need extreme stabilization before and during processing.

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A colleague recommended this book, and I was not disappointed! I am recently trained in EMDR, but the protocol can feel very rigid to my fluid counseling style. I am excited to use Laurel Parnell's modified protocol, which brings a more natural order to processing. Using EMDR comes with so many nuances, and the author really helps to address those possibilities with real solutions. I will certainly be using the attachment figure resources she recommends! Great book and resource for my counseling practice.

[Liz Simpson · Rating 4 out of 5]

My review may be a bit underrated as I am not a scholar in this field but rather a parent of an adopted child with extensive trauma. I felt the book was very detailed and would most likely be a great asset to therapists performing EMDR for trauma. Also, the chapters describing cases and the sessions helped me to know what we may expect if we place our daughter in this therapy.

[Rose Boyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing if you're a therapist interested in healing trauma in your clients. I was already familiar with Parnell's Tapping In book and had been practicing it for a couple of years when I found this beauty. The next level. Highly recommended.

[Tsvi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Wow! Wow!

What a phenomenal work!
This book is a masterpiece on how to modify EMDR and blend it with best interventions and interweaves for doing healing inner child work! Highly recommended!

[Elena Cucu · Rating 5 out of 5]

very very useful for any psychotherapist interested in trauma work.

[Mark Mattek · Rating 4 out of 5]

Helpful guide to incorporating attachment-focused philosophy techniques into an EMDR practice.

[Lindsey Hawkins Gould · Rating 5 out of 5]

A really great guide for practicing EMDR through an attachment focused lense.

[Nikki Lavarias · Rating 3 out of 5]

considerations considerations !!

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best resources for attachment EMDR techniques for the professional! I only wish I had made time to read it years ago. This with Paulson’s work allows me to get into healing within the years before explicit memory forms. Lovely resource!

[Jessica Brazeal Slaven · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a really great primer for new EMDR therapists and was super validating for the way I practice EMDR myself. If you’re newly trained, highly recommend.

[Jillybb · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent book but no original ideas if you have read her earlier stuff. Nothing in this book will change the way you do EMDR. You might just think about it differently, now using attachment theory. But the practice itself remains the same. (Same opinion on second read. Some if the reparenting experiences seemed a tad much.)

[Kristin Marcin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Laurel Parnell delivers a lengthy but fascinating look at attachment focused EMDR with a specific focus on the importance of resourcing. She provides comprehensive information about the long term impact of trauma as well as practical strategies for working with clients with extensive histories of maladaptive attachment. Absolutely essential reading for any EMDR therapist!