EMDR and Attachment – presented by Arun Mansukhani

Initially developed to address acute trauma and PTSD, EMDR therapy has proven to be extremely effective in a large number of patients. But it is not a ‘one-size fits all’, particularly for complex trauma clients, who have deregulation problems for different affective behaviour systems, not only defense or attachment, but also sexual, social ranking or pleasure/seeking system. When different affective systems are involved, client’s capacity for staying in dual focus with their disturbing memories is seriously impaired. This makes it a lot more difficult to use standard EMDR for reprocessing these memories. 

This workshop will look at different affective and behaviour systems, other than defence or attachment, and how they contribute to complex trauma cases, to enable participants to maximise EMDR-AIP interventions. We'll present the adaptations of the standard protocol required for these cases, and the rationale behind them, helping participants to adjust treatment plans to individual clients in the context of each therapeutic relationship.

Learning objectives

• Participants will be able to interpret the concept of trauma from an affective behaviour system perspective and distinguish acute trauma (due to deregulation of defence system) from more complex types of trauma (due to simultaneous deregulation of various systems, including attachment system).
• Participants will learn to identify specific difficulties arising in therapeutic settings that hinder or block processing, according to different affective behaviour systems involved, and how to work through them with specific EMDR-AIP interventions.
• Participants will learn how to adapt the sequence of the different stages of EMDR standard protocol, the rationale behind these modifications, and learn specific interventions to address complex cases.

About the speaker

Arun Mansukhani is a Clinical Psychologist (PsyD) and Sexologist with 25 years of experience as a therapist. He holds Master Degrees in Sexology, in Behavioural-Cognitive Therapies, in Hypnosis and is an EMDR Europe accredited consultant and facilitator. He is also a Level III Sensorimotor therapist. 

Arun has been Vice Director at the IASP centre in Malaga (Spain) from 1994 to 2018 and is currently leading a team of psychologists working with trauma and attachment issues as director of the Centre for Emotional Regulation, at Malaga. He has been a Member of the Presidential Committee of the Illustrious College of Psychologists (COP-AO), Member of the Presidential Committee of the Spanish Federation of Sexologists (FESS), External Consultant for the Government of the City of Madrid on Social Addictions, President of the Assesment Committee of International Adoptions and External Advisor to the ORAS-CONHU (UN-Population Fund) on teen pregnancy. 

He has participated in many national and international conferences as a speaker and has wide teaching experience in seminars, workshops and master degrees.

Recording

The event will be recorded and distributed to participants. 

CPD points

Please be aware that in line with EMDR UK CPD regulations only participants who have attended the whole event are eligible to claim CPD points. CPD points certificates will be issued on receipt of a completed feedback form.