Improving Assessment and Client Readiness for EMDR Processing

This workshop is part one of the series' Bridging the Gap – From EMDR Training to Practice'

(N.B. Purchasing a ticket gives you access to the recording of the workshop even if you don't intend online on the day.)

EMDR practitioners can feel overwhelmed at the start of therapy, struggling to know where to start and feeling unsure of when a client is ready to begin processing. This can lead to drift or avoidance of EMDR.

In part one of this series of workshops, we will consider skills that can be employed at the very start of therapy to work on blocking beliefs. This in turn aids case conceptualisation and assessment of client readiness which can improve effective facilitation of processing in phase four. It outlines a model that both Practitioners and Consultants can use in supervision to formulate a treatment plan that immediately addresses obstacles.

Learning Outcomes

1/ Learn how to identify and begin working with general blocking beliefs which impede processing in phase four (e.g. “don’t show emotions").

2/ Develop therapist’s awareness of transference and countertransference communications and how to actively use this information to enhance effective case conceptualisation and treatment.

3/ Considering how trauma affects the client’s bodily state in order to plan appropriate preparation/resourcing before processing.

Understanding these factors within phases one - treatment planning, and phase two - preparation stages of the protocol will improve engagement in phase four of EMDR processing.

Presenter

Deborah Conlon is an Integrative Psychotherapist, Supervisor, Trainer and EMDR Consultant. She has over twenty years of experience working with mild to complex cases within different settings. Deborah has facilitative style to her training, encouraging independent learning through her use of clinical examples.

Outline

The workshop includes a presentation of ideas, concepts and skills by Deborah. There are some opportunities to consolidate learning in pairs during the training so bring a case you can work through however example cases are also provided.

There will be an hour for lunch at 12pm and regular breaks throughout.

Coming soon (November 2025) - Part Two

Focusing on how to assess whether processing is at its potential, and how to use EMDR techniques to enhance repair.

Suitability

Please note, this workshop is only suitable for trained EMDR therapists.