Fed up with only meeting virtually? Wondering what we all still look like below Zoom’s Face-and-Shoulders view? Longing to give each other that long-awaited bilateral hug? Curious about innovations in EMDR that might include the most ancient forms of bilateral stimulation before Shapiro invented ships-in-the-night eye movements?
The EMDR UK Association’s Regional Group in East Anglia was delighted on Saturday April 27 to host our first in-person meeting (break out the champagne…) since the pandemic, at our well-known and well-loved Ely (Sugar) Beet Social Club in the heart of Fenland.
Blowing Covid cobwebs to oblivion, Jo Gresham-Ord took us through EMDR with Walking, and while Joe Kearney and Carsten Dernedde enthused us about EMDR and the Body, somatic experiencing in EMDR, and, especially also, all that very topical polyvagal stuff.
As long-standing members of our Regional Steering Group and organisers of many a past networking day, Joe and Carsten needed perhaps less introduction, though we added a few further down.
Fuller report of the day coming shortly, so at this point, just saying thanks to the team and all our guests for making this day such fun and so professionally rewarding.
And for Jo without an E, she’s an EMDR Europe-Accredited Consultant with over 20 years of experience working in the NHS, University of East Anglia and in private practice. Since the Covid crisis her practice has broadened out to include the use of Walking and EMDR as a modality for treatment, and she’s an Ely local.
Jo (the one without an -e) writes:
Have you ever wondered why Francine Shapiro, who discovered EMDR when she was walking in the park, focused so much on the eye movements and not the walking part? I have.
Maybe it was due to the cultural norms of doing therapy in the room at that time or simply that the eye movements were a more noticeable part of what she experienced.
Therapists have been working outdoors for a long time. This is not new. However, with the advent of the Covid virus meaning that meeting in rooms was more challenging, one thing is for sure, more people seem to be taking the therapy outside.
Consequentially, I have increased my use of EMDR using Mindful Walking as BLS and will be sharing how to adapt the standard protocol by giving some examples of how and when it has worked most effectively. I’d like to encourage any therapists who feel apprehensive about doing this to embrace the opportunity to use nature as part of their therapeutic tool kit.
For the rest of the day, once Jo has taken us all for at least a metaphorical walk, Carsten and Joe outline their ideas thus:
Why is EMDR Bodywork? Before lunch, and taking in the neurobiology of trauma and social engagement, we’ll explore why thinking is feeling, why the past is present, how resonance sends adaptive information processing in the right direction, and the deer metaphor explanation of why EMDR works.
Plus as a bonus feature why the earth is flat after all. Not really joking but rather an invitation to consider EMDR from the body’s point of view.
After the lunch break, we will do some practical exercises to illustrate some of these points.
Joe Kearney will present on Somatic Experiencing and EMDR, and we will explore how EMDR can be enriched by giving the body room in the Eight Phase protocol. There will be opportunity for small group experimentation and reflection.
And as we conclude here, potential future presenters at regional networking days please take note: it can be very enjoyable and stimulating preparing a presentation in a group, even if you don’t take the stage.