EMDR Special Populations & Adaptations Flashcards

What is the recommended EMDR approach for clients who have experienced medical trauma (e.g., life-threatening illness, traumatic procedures)?

Answer: Targets include traumatic medical memories, body image changes, and anticipatory anxiety about future procedures

EMDR effectively addresses medical trauma by targeting memories of traumatic procedures or diagnoses, body image disturbances, and future-focused anticipatory anxiety about medical care.

When adapting EMDR for clients with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), which factor is most important to address?

Answer: Sensory sensitivities may require careful selection of bilateral stimulation method, pacing, and preparation

Sensory sensitivities in ASD require individualizing bilateral stimulation methods and pacing, with careful attention to tolerability of tactile, visual, or auditory stimuli during sessions.

For EMDR with clients who have experienced natural disaster trauma, which additional consideration is relevant?

Answer: Community-level trauma, loss of property and social support systems, and ongoing environmental stressors must be addressed in the treatment framework

Natural disaster trauma often involves community-wide destruction of social support, ongoing displacement, and multiple losses that must be incorporated into stabilization and treatment planning.

In EMDR treatment for grief and bereavement, what is the primary therapeutic target?

Answer: Traumatic aspects of the loss (e.g., traumatic circumstances of death, intrusive images) that block normal grieving

EMDR for grief targets the traumatic elements of a loss — such as disturbing images of death or traumatic circumstances — that interfere with normal adaptive grieving processes.

What special protocol consideration applies when using EMDR with LGBTQ+ clients who have experienced minority stress?

Answer: Targets should include both discrete traumatic events and chronic minority stressors such as discrimination, rejection, and internalized stigma

For LGBTQ+ clients, EMDR can address both acute traumatic events (hate crimes, rejection) and chronic minority stressors, including internalized stigma, which function as ongoing trauma targets.

When providing EMDR to survivors of workplace trauma (e.g., harassment, occupational accidents), what is a key treatment consideration?

Answer: Ongoing occupational exposure, potential legal proceedings, and return-to-work goals require integration into treatment planning

Workplace trauma treatment must account for ongoing exposure (if still employed), active legal or HR proceedings, and practical return-to-work goals that shape the pace and targets of EMDR therapy.