Rewiring the Addicted Brain with EMDR-Based Treatment

by Laurel Parnell

Writing for both EMDR therapists and substance abuse counselors, Laurel Parnell provides user-friendly tools to help support clients in recovery with EMDR-based techniques that can be easily integrated into all levels of addiction treatment.


Emphasizing the practical clinical application of principles and techniques helpful for addictions and addictive disorders, this book interweaves case material throughout the text, with some chapters presenting in-depth cases to illustrate the techniques. Topics include treating trauma and supporting resilience, tools for affect regulation, and rewiring the motivation-reward circuits.

Genres: Psychology, Addiction

320 pages, Paperback

Published December 3, 2019

Reviews

[Morgan Blackledge]

Review under construction.

I’m giving the book a total re-read.

Stand by.....

Reread (1/10/20)

Ok.

My first read was off due to lack of training and experience with the EMDR model.

I was initially put off by the imaginal resourcing described in the book.

I have always been resistant to positive affirmations and guided imagery, and the emphasis on those types of resources in Laurel Parnell’s work made me feel uneasy.

I now understand the importance of the resourcing aspects of EMDR.

Simply put.

If you don’t have positive resources installed, than you don’t have anywhere new to go after you reprocess.

On my second read I am very impressed with the book.

Particularly the ‘connecting the consequences’ protocol that installs negative outcomes into euphoric recall ideations.

Super powerful!!!

I’d love to start integrating this stuff but I think I’m going to need specific training on Parnell’s methodology.

Why 4 stars?

Not sure 🤔

The book felt tedious in areas.

I felt impatient to get through it.

Even though EMDR and recovery are my obsession at the moment.

So 4.5 ⭐️‘s

[Lance Hill]

I’d read anything by Laurel Parnell. One of the things she does best in her books is to empower the reader to feel competent and prepared to integrate techniques and insights that she provides in her book. This is another great read and well worth your time if you use EMDR with clients.

[Rhea]

What a generous, loving way to treat addiction. I’m excited to try this with my patients.

[Jillybb]

Similar to the book based on attachment theory, now applied to addiction. I disagree with the notion that the treatment of addiction should only be based on healing the trauma assumed to be underlying it. You also need to add techniques of behavioral control and motivational interviewing.

[Loula J]

Great practical resource!

[Ryn]

A good bunch of tools for the EMDR toolbox. The connecting the consequences protocol is particularly helpful.

[Jessica Brazeal Slaven]

EMDR therapists that work with addiction (or who want to be able to!), this is a helpful resource. Lots of possible resources to install and the Connecting the Consequences protocol feels useful.