Saturday June 26 2021.
Presented by Dr Jamie Marich and reported by Ushma Patel
Saturday 26th June 2021 saw many of us (50 delegates) attend online (from near and far) in an interactive, retreat style workshop for an afternoon of soothing techniques to learn how to keep ourselves safe, sane and healthy in this new world as COVID continues to unfold.
The EMDR Association’s East Anglia Regional Group were delighted to welcome back Dr Jamie Marich, an EMDR therapist and EMDRIA-approved trainer specialising in the treatment of trauma and addictions, and founder of the Institute for Creative Mindfulness, shared with us the importance of mindfulness and meditation in modern living.
The main focus of the afternoon was Mindfulness and Meditation, and on how best we can maintain emotional and physical equilibrium as we work remotely with our clients’ deepest traumas.
Jamie talked us through some practical ideas and strategies for practicing mindfulness as a path for enhancing resilience, with special focus given to issues of workplace wellness. It was interesting to also understand the applicability of these techniques to our EMDR practice particularly the preparation and closure phases.
The online retreat started with a mini mindfulness exercise including ‘palming the face’ which enabled us to focus in further on the heat and energy resting on our face particularly around our eyes and temples incorporating bi-lateral stimulation.
A great technique to use when you have been in front of your computer all day writing up client notes!
After a stretching exercise which can aid in reducing back pain – a common complaint in our occupation – we were invited to sit or lie down to practice Yoga Nidra an exercise that encourages access to a powerful state of consciousness; to connect with ourselves, embrace ease and comfort and let go of effort.
Then, we were given the opportunity to ask questions about Yoga Nidra and its principles. It was fascinating to gain insight in to how Yoga Nidra and EMDR, with their correspondence between intention and Positive Cognitions, complement each other.
We spent some time talking in small groups to develop a basic care plan for staying well and resilient during the coming year of inevitably further transitions.
Through wider group discussion Jamie guided us through first-hand experience of care planning, with a take-home message to use such plans with our EMDR clients.
There was opportunity too to really explore what our body fuses to, whether that be music, sounds or art and colours. The active participation brought a sense of freedom alongside nourishment.
It was a brilliant, exploratory afternoon with opportunity to practise several mindfulness/meditative exercises, with a view to formally or informally apply them to our daily life as an approach for building resilience and cultivating a more balanced life.
We are truly grateful to Jamie for walking us through the relevance of mindfulness to one’s own personal care and burnout prevention, as well as how to translate these skills from our own personal life and practice into our EMDR therapy practice with clients.
The event was recorded so those who couldn’t attend live with us but who have paid and signed up in advance will have full access to the event for a further month.