EMDR Therapy can be an incredibly impactful resource for individuals living with chronic illness - both those newly diagnosed, and seasoned spoonies. This being said, a lot of our therapy practice and language originates from inherently ableist systems including what we are socialized to identify as “trauma”. This course seeks to address the realities of supporting clients living with their trauma in the form of chronic illness and somatic disorders; and will explore when the thing that is causing harm is their own body. 

Participants will address engaging the EMDR Therapy 8 Phase protocol with respect to serving clients with various somatic experiences, realities, and diagnoses. This course will also support participants in their case conceptualization when serving clients with chronic illness - particularly in regards to target identification, resourcing, and adjusting for various somatic realities.   This course will expand upon Shapiro’s (2018) “protocol for working with illness and somatic disorders”, while increasing clinician confidence in serving clients living with these often ongoing traumas. 

Participants will engage in both large and small group discussions using case examples to develop supportive treatment plans and expand their ongoing list of resources to support their clients. Participants will also explore inclusive language and ways to assess their own practice's accessibility to reduce potential instances of retraumatization within the therapy environment.