Presented by C Paula Krentzel. PhD and Jennifer Tattersall, LCSW

 

The Distancing Approach was initially developed using EMDR targets that had an over-importance of thoughts, the need to control thoughts and the thought-action fusion. It also targeted the misinterpretation of sensation as predictive of future catastrophe.  

The goal of this technique is for the client to become a detached observer to his/her thoughts, sensations, images, and/or urges.  For example, to understand that the obsession is a thought and not real, to gain distance from the thought, and put it aside.   

 

Interweaves, which come from the client’s own words as expressed in the Preparation Phase, are used in the EMDR protocol to process the initial, worst, most recent and current triggers. 

The types of interweaves created by clients are reviewed in detail.  When appropriate, patient cases are examined to highlight how different interweaves are useful in all phases of Distancing.

The presentation goes through all phases of EMDR treatment and uses videos to demonstrate the technique as well as a practicum for participants to practice the Distancing Approach. 

 

The Distancing Technique was developed to enhance the treatment of OCD and anxiety disorders with EMDR. Incorporating Ego State Theory with Distancing the clinician is able to address various parts of the personality and inner conflicts which interfere with treatment.

The presentation reviews Ego State Theory and highlights how to identify a client’s internal conflict, that is, conflicting ego states and/or blocking beliefs. In turn, the presentation instructs participants in how to resolve these conflicts or beliefs such that the therapy can proceed more smoothly. The presentation uses video to demonstrate the resolution conflicting ego states. The video demonstrates the use of Ego State Theory and Distancing with a client diagnosed with dissociative identity disorder (DID).

Knowledge of Ego State Theory and The Distancing Technique are prerequisites for attending this presentation.

 

Participants will learn to:

1.Describe the 3 components of The Distancing Approach and identify when to use it.

2.List the procedural steps of the Distancing Technique as used within the Preparation Phase of the EMDR Standard Protocol.

3. Have an understanding of Future Rehearsal with a focus on integrating the use of adaptive coping statements in challenging situations.

4. Determine when to process past traumas and/or triggers for OCD using the Standard EMDR protocol (either before or after the use of Distancing).