EMDR Therapy Demonstration: Dissociative Considerations

In this teaching video, Dr. Jamie Marich once again steps into the role as client, led through the EMDR therapy protocol by Institute for Creative Mindfulness team member Rachel Weaver, LISW-S. Dr. Jamie chooses to work on an issue that links into her long-standing client work as a person in recovery from a dissociative disorder. Several key components of using EMDR therapy safely with dissociative clients are demonstrated.
**IMPORTANT** This video is not meant to be a replacement for professional treatment. It is not a "do it yourself" EMDR therapy process. This is a clinical demonstration that can help existing EMDR therapists in their learning. The demonstration can also be useful in preparing clients for what to expect. However, EMDR therapy should only be conducted by a properly trained clinical professional.

[@kozjazz]

Your 4 yr old and 9 yr old self made me cry. Their compassion- your compassion has been one of your greatest strengths- it sounds like.

[@kimberlyjung6778]

This is so helpful! What a beautiful thing to see the therapist in the role of client. What I love about EMDR is that it demonstrates that all healing comes from within.

[@RobTheFossil]

Yes it does. My body healed many broken loops of the cognitive kind in therapy. I was emotionally reborn half way through one session. I now write of that account that is far more graphic and detailed to microseconds of energy releases that became sequential as all my triggers merged into one and purged. Immediately was set free. Never again have I had the sense of a need to cope. Life simply flows on through me without triggers.

[@Lindaheal]

Thank you so much for your willingness to share your story, and your vulnerability with us. Your courage, generosity of spirit, and luminous spirit shine through for everyone who has the ability to recognize them. Your commitment to healing and powerful degree of self-awareness are an inspiration for those of us traveling a similar path.

[@HananelGez]

43:48 The breakthrough here is so powerful and rewarding! Thank you for sharing your journey! Letting go of judgment allows us to live a fulfilling life. When we judge ourselves or let others judge us we limit ourselves from happiness and joy. As the saying goes: You are your best friend and your worst enemy.

[@bonniel4325]

Dr. Marich, I want a teacher like you. You are so courageous and real. Your students are so lucky.

[@AdaAdi77]

Thank you for being so brave and publicly vulnerable! WOW 😮 🤩

[@eamaples]

Fantastic demonstration of variations on the method. Thank you

[@suemetzger941]

This was so helpful to me.I suffer with dissociative disorder this help me in learning what to expect in working within my work. Thank you.

[@kimmyrichardson]

Beautiful. How generous to share this beautiful process with us. Thank you!

[@rochidamcclure4667]

This was amazing! Jaime thank you for being present and "showing up" for this.

[@jessicadreamtime2479]

This is so interesting and helpful. I love your honesty, openess and the groundedness you bring to mindfull activities. Thanks so much for sharing

[@dw2025]

The recording volume is too low. I can hear it but it's very low. Very informative and intense. Thank you for this.

[@jynxiebaby5137]

Thank you so much for being so open and vulnerable, sharing this experience with us. Its incredibly comforting to me to see the therapist in the client role, dealing with trauma and dissociation.. its weird, but as a patient/ client with a LOT of trauma and pain and severe dissociation, I guess I dont see my therapist as like.. someone who can suffer from stuff like I do? Not in like a gatekeepy weird way. Just like.. all of my therapists have seemed so strong, so wise, so optimistic, and it never resonated with me that they're the same as I am. Human. They could have all kinds of things going on. And, in a strange way, that makes me feel so comforted, safe, even less ashamed or embarrassed. Like they don't just understand because they studied it, they understand because they're human- theyre not some strange, otherworldly being that isn't touched by illness or trauma or pain or any of that stuff. Ive been feeling scared about starting this process, like I might do it "wrong", or be judged (which I know my therapist doesn't do), and especially worried that if I began dissociating, how could I follow the eye directions (so I might ask about the tapping because that seems like a great way to do it in case I cant maintain the eye thing)? This was so eye-opening. To see someone who not only practices this but who TEACHES this be so real and open, to not be able to put feelings or thoughts into words, to stop and say "wait, no, can I change that?", to pause and ground when overwhelmed.. it gives me confidence going into this. So thank you. Thank you so, so much. It sounds silly, but this has given me so much hope and so much confidence.

[@sorou]

I feel this so much. Thank you so much for putting this into words!!!

[@RobTheFossil]

I hope you have pursued EMDR and other therapies. It led me to my final healing of CPTSD at 62. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a role . I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in therapy.

[@RobTheFossil]

@@sorou I hope you have pursued EMDR and other therapies. It led me to my final healing of CPTSD at 62. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a role . I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in therapy.

[@pennypenny2588]

This is exactly what emdr is .... thank you for a very real and personal experience.

[@catherinehobson3403]

That was an inspiring video, thank you so much for sharing this and to both of these amazing women.

[@dawnwolfe9465]

Please continue posting videos. I'm finding them very helpful, inspirational and motivational in my beginning practice with EMDR! You are beautiful!!!!!

[@S4vh55hdci]

This is great. Thanks for sharing this resource Dr Marich!

[@CestLaaaVie]

I just started EMDR and really struggle with dissociating. After watching this I realize I need to touch down throughout the process and not just when I reach maximum dissociation. Also just seeing how the process works help me feel more confident in myself during EMDR

[@RobTheFossil]

It will heal....rather it facilitates your bodies natural healing mechanism. to do what we are all designed to do. Heal as our body heals a cut. You need to stop trying to link words of theories to it that forces logic processes to begin. Logic interferes with the part of a cognitive loop that is only in the automatic part of our design. I hope you have pursued EMDR and other therapies. It led me to my final healing of CPTSD at 62. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a role . I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in therapy.

[@CestLaaaVie]

@@RobTheFossil hey 👋 still in therapy. A different therapist, but still doing emdr. It’s totally changed my life. My therapist during this comment really didn’t know what he was doing and almost killed me. But now I can do emdr on my own. I think you’re right, those of us with CPTSD emdr is the only way. It’s tough to relive your worst nightmares, but if you’re brave enough it’s a godsend. I’m still far from healed, but I am very much finally safe in my body.

[@RealHousewivesofHell]

Thank you for sharing this with us it is very helpful.

[@candiceburch3600]

Wonderful video, Dr. Marich! Learning so much

[@kathyannk]

This was fascinating. Thank you both for sharing. I’m curious about the aftereffects of this session. There seemed to be a lot processed here. 💛

[@angelatrebor8681]

It's unfortunate that your Dad and Mom..and..Nanny (especially your Dad) did not know how to give you CREDIT instead of critiquing you, as they didn't seem to realize childhood experiences linger and affect us our entire life. You are definitely a Beautiful Lady in every possible way- so, surely you must know that by now. Look in the mirror..and you'll see your beautiful face. Wishing you could hear a recording of your beautiful voice..and your wonderful laugh!!😃 It was wonderfully powerful when you said that you love your body bcuz it has gotten you thru so much. WOW!!!! If everyone could think like that, we'd have a world full of more secure and much happier people!! You appear to be a very happy & secure person- so, you must be..if looks & behavior tell truth!!!

[@bounce8309]

Awesome work both of you, thanks for sharing. xo

[@ancestrallines]

Really useful learning....thanks for sharing ✨

[@tiara424777]

awww good for you ! can see the healing happen

[@jonasbertilbellander]

Wow this is powerful, would love to get that process,

[@shirleycoker5999]

Thank you so much Jamie for sharing this video. I am fairly new at practicing EMDR and your videos are really helpful!!!

[@mariadonato]

amazing! love this..... thanks for sharing

[@debbiehitt9581]

I have been so happy to watch your demo videos of EMDR. I will have my first session of EMDR next week. I have found the videos to be very calming and reassuring along with a positive article, on EMDR, written by Focus on the Family. I come from a religious background that puts red flags and question marks up about things even like yoga. I would like to know what you mean when you describe yourself as feeling floaty during this session.

[@AdaAdi77]

How did this work for you?

[@hayleytearall]

This is lovely to see how the therapeutic relationship comes into play and the healing that takes place throughout. My question (as a trainee in counselling & psychotherapy, haven't really touched on EMDR but have personal experience of dissociation) is, how does this work (from both the perspective of therapist and client) with people who can't ground well or aren't able to control dissociation? This lady is very well processed and has a real clarity in what works for her, in clarity of cognition, and in knowing the pathway of the therapy and the kind of journey she expects to be going on. What about your average Joe rocking up for EMDR?

[@Gshkent]

I agree. She knows what she wants to process, or an idea of what is an issue. What if a client has too much amnesia to remember any type of trigger?

[@AdaAdi77]

Gshkent did you find the answer to this question? They say that blank years means a lot of trauma. I did lifespan integration for like a year total and no new memories came up. Supposedly going over and over a list of memories (one memory per year) should integrate more new memories. Did not happen. In EMDR I have a similar issue in that it seems I have a limited set of memories. The solutions that come up from the unconscious are amazing but it seems that my brain does not feel safe to go to certain years. Maybe it is because I don’t trust the therapist or because I am not working with ego states and internal family system (IFS) parts? Maybe IFS could provide a solution? I keep changing the therapists and getting worse while having had amazing instant solutions to some problems (through EMDR or hypnosis), just that nothing struck at the roots. I have 0 score on the dissociation questionnaire (I did it twice, once for a psychologist and one for a psychiatrist), so I am not sure what the issue is.

[@AdaAdi77]

Hayley, you are very brave! I am neurotic and I considered psychology but never dared to study it to get into the clinical field. But if you heal yourself, you will be the best because you will understand so much more than someone “normal” who got into the field and did not walk in the shoes of someone who went through very scary stuff. I met many therapists or who had no idea about what I was feeling. (Just one example: one PhD in psychology and retired director of a psy clinic looked at 12 typed pages of memories and said: “I don’t understand why you have problems. Everybody got beaten up when we were kids!”) They stayed at the surface with CBT stuff and feel positive (tell that to the homeless!), the neocortex stuff- when I am all limbic system! They have not read Bessel van der Kolk or Allan Schore. Or Stephen Porges. Now, unfortunately, I don’t dissociate. (I have been in such an emotional turmoil and even developed a neurological sickness because of it that I wish I had dissociative disorder to get a break! I am serious.) I did EMDR for six months and I can get immediate results but they Don’t stick. Maybe because I have a lot to work on and I don’t trust my therapists. (One kept pushing me for immediate results and for being positive! It backfired.) I found this book, maybe it could be of help? EMDR Toolbox: Theory and Treatment of Complex PTSD and Dissociation.

[@kaleimaile]

I am going thru EMDR training right now. I would probably assess whether the client is ready to process the trauma. If they are not, maybe they’re not ready for EMDR yet.

[@AdaAdi77]

Kaleimaileno’eau you can prepare them for processing the trauma. Laurel Parnell wrote the book called “Tapping in” to ressource clients. One can do this at home on their own, too, supposedly. However, in another book, Attachment-Focused EMDR, she says some clients can’t do EMDR but benefit a great deal from the resourcing only. I don’t agree. That is why one should then search more - I found Robin Shapiro and ego states. Robin swears by this therapy for dissociated patients. Also, the therapeutic alliance is primordial. If you don’t trust the therapist, she can be god, it won’t work. My case: I don’t trust anybody anymore- I need to work on the trauma induced by therapists (I have four of those, four major traumas caused by therapists.) Sickness caused by doctors 🥼 is a called iatrogenic disease. What is the equivalent for psychologist-induced sickness?!!

[@fosterjillian]

I really liked the way that this therapist worded her questions. I’m wondering where I could find/buy the Scripts that she is using…? I am EMD are trained and just always like to learn new ways to offer this content. This really resonated for me.

[@RobTheFossil]

You will find value in the book I hope to publish this year. My healing of CPTSD at 62. It includes EMDR and the sequences, structures and 'light' speed microseconds of releases from my body cells. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a supporting role . I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in therapy. I hope you are now EMDR certified. We need more healers who help bodies do the healing as we are all designed the same way, our bodies heal the same way. A key point in resistance to reprocessing is how microseconds and triggers shared decades later can block the reprocessing of the primary event. Only when I was horribly triggered to a1988 event did I complete the 1963 event reprocessing, 1964, 1978, and 2009 as well within seconds during my final session halfway through. I was emotionally reborn that day. It gets better every passing month since March 2019.

[@shantayprueeissen8914]

I really like CBD from Weedborn.

[@juditszilagyi]

You are brave and strong.

[@jacquelynhaleyhypnotherapi8096]

The prayer Dr Jamie mentions in phase 2. Does anyone know what it is .

[@migglep]

thank you. I really want to try this now

[@RobTheFossil]

I hope you have pursued EMDR and other therapies. It led me to my final healing of CPTSD at 62. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a role . I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in therapy.

[@migglep]

@@RobTheFossil thank you for your comment. I am yet to try EMDR but I am currently in cognitive analytic therapy. It's great for general stuff but not so trauma focused. I'm still keen to try EMDR. Thank you for the reminder ❤️

[@JenniferDiefenbach]

Thank you for sharing your EMDR session. I'm curious, what is the name of the bodies song that you mentioned during the session? I think you said it was by a folk artist and had to do with koshas? Sorry, google search isn't helping me out here and I want to add it to my badass feminists playlist! I have found EMDR to be such an effective method in my own healing too.

[@thislittlelight2017]

Thank you for your courage in sharing, Jamie! I’m curious about the workbook that Rachel is using. What is the title of the workbook? Thank you!

[@aliceduperey4952]

AVOIR LA POSSIBILITE D UNE TRADUCTION EN FRANCAIS? PLEASE!!

[@DrJamieMM]

This is the training manual that we use in our program, The Institute for Creative Mindfulness. Although available as our training programs manual, they can be ordered on Amazon.com although they are a bit pricey as a stand-alone manual since they are technically part of our training: www.amazon.com/EMDR-Therapy-Basic-Training-Course/dp/1515223558/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1542362292&sr=8-4&keywords=Jamie+Marich+EMDR www.amazon.com/EMDR-Therapy-Basic-Training-Manual/dp/1518733700/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1542362292&sr=8-7&keywords=Jamie+Marich+EMDR

[@joyfuljo1]

This was so cool. I did my own emdr right along with this in regards to a past memory and it was very healing. Thank you.

[@jessicadreamtime2479]

Do you do emdr with kids?

[@sallyregoord3381]

I thought with emdr visual tracking is used? Can you explain this approach so interesting?! Thank you.😀

[@tamoyed]

EMDR originates with eye movement but the practice now also uses things like bilateral tactile stimulation! you may cross your arms and tap your shoulders back and forth, or on your knees, or even with sound that moves from ear to ear. i found the most successful method for me was to combine all three inputs.

[@danyelPitmon]

I have five mental health disorders primary is borderline personality disorder bipolar to PTSD generalized anxiety disorder or comorbid to the borderline I also have an unofficial diagnosis of dissociative identity disorder this video gives me an idea of what to expect when I start EMD ER because right now my therapist is not ready for me to begin that yet and that I know of neither is my psychiatrist but I will be glad when I get to do that because that will help me get past a lot of the traumas that I have been a majority of them I have no idea what they are and I don’t really have any idea if I dissociate and win because I don’t recognize any of it at all all I know is I do space out quite a bit and I am clumsy and I drop things I spell things and mostly I think that is from being legally blind and extremely low vision but the shame of being legally blind is there considerably

[@theadumitriu8664]

Ladies you are beautiful, thank you for sharing this!

[@ach4049]

Do you have to think about one specific traumatic event at which time? Or you can think about it all?

[@SnowFright]

One event is processed at a time 😉

[@DJElectraFry]

I get the droppies too! Hate that

[@bentehove3945]

I'm not familiar with EMDR - this session is done without eye movements ??? (And reminds me more of 'tapping' ?)

[@Elya08]

This is an adaptation. It’s bilateral stimulation, but she’s using bilateral tapping instead of the eye movements. You can do this with sound (headphones alternating tones or music in each ear), buzzers in each hand, anything that is bilateral stimulation will work, and what works for one person may not for another. If my therapist tapped me repeatedly I’d flip my lid and have a panic attack and/or shut down. I have sexual abuse traumas, so I cannot be touched while processing.

[@ismaildane7665]

❤️👍Thanks ❤️👍

[@angeloburke1832]

How can I contact you?

[@heatherfranklin1967]

Thank you for your vulnerability - I will say as an EMDR therapist, that the length and speed of sets are concerning if this client is dissociative. Typically, you will do slightly slower bilateral taps, and shorter length of sets with a dissociative client, to be able to check in with them more. I’d be curious if this client dissociated at times, especially when she slowly rocks, or lost some neck posture toward the beginning of the session.

[@RobTheFossil]

None of the words like dissociation mean anything when EMDR is working the cognitive loop that is broken within or between the automatic Amygdala responses and higher brain. Let the body heal. Drop trying to use logic with clients. It only confused the issue. The therapist has nothing to do with the healing process apart from monitoring the condition of the client. I am emotionally reborn thanks to EMDR and many other methods. I am writing my healing account to assist therapists now. It includes an NDE-like mingling with the 'light' of unconditional love experience in the therapy chair. A level of detail no conscious mind can perceive as ten years of healing attempts had been sequential moments of success that felt random every trigger crisis time.

[@jaymalsofresh7063]

What if it’s hard to feel the physical symptoms. You can think of the logical feelings you have but physical anxiety is not there like it would be in the actual embarrassing situation or triggering situation

[@Elya08]

Start with the logic, and eventually you’ll become more aware of the sensations in your body that are your feelings as you go through more EMDR sessions. I was so disconnected from my emotions I couldn’t name them last year if I’s wanted to. I knew I had feelings, but they were buried beneath layers of trauma.

[@anikomazan8871]

I still can not see how it can help. The tapping noise is very irritating. Makes me very upset.

[@SellyNue]

Do therapists always touch clients during EMDR therapy???

[@trumpetgirllindsey]

Uggg I feel like I need some of this treatment... my friend studied eft and that worked as long as I didn’t dissociate or forget to do it... at the time I didn’t know I have the dissociation diagnosis yet . I have 5-6 mental,5-6 physical,and 2personality

[@RobTheFossil]

I hope you have pursued EMDR and other therapies. It led me to my final healing of CPTSD at 62. No other therapies could heal me. But they all played a role . All the names and labels of mental health seem to dissolve into nothing as you heal. I know the problem of ending therapy before you have no doubts you are healed. I felt so much better than before many times after periods of numerous therapy sessions. I am emotionally reborn as a result of pursuing every trigger moment immediately back in reprocessing therapy.

[@autumneve]

❤❤❤❤

[@dalastpharaoh]

She made it sound quiet easy to remember the first time you felt this certain feeling that you struggle with. Im not against the thearphy but how come you can get it that easy. Is there a certain way to help you remember those things like you already have the amswer from before through so,e other techniques made u remember.

[@AdaAdi77]

Your brain will bring up the memories and the solutions. The therapist guides you but it’s all your inner work!

[@ChavaJ77]

At the start and throughout it is stated that Dr Marich has done a lot of work already

[@owent1166]

Would this be secondary structural dissociation?

[@owent1166]

Great video btw

[@NewNow4u]

Hm thank you for sharing your session. Though I notice you are not doing bilateral eye movement. I thought that was what EMDR.

[@rileyhoffman6629]

My historical family of eastern European peasants today still shows the physical attributes. We are thick. My mother never forgave me for not looking like Meg Ryan. I earned a UCLA PhD; her response: You are still unmarried. I'm 70 and am still dealing with the etc of it. Don't give up. PS People who never drop their keys have the clean desks, and you know what we say about them. You are either naturally an Oscar or a Felix. Wear it well.

[@limasah1]

You two are beautifull!

[@misscurvygirl_love]

This was a beautiful healing session! So honored to have witness this amazing journey with you lovely ladies. 🥹♥️🙏 and she ended it with her prayer she always recited as a child 😭🥹♥️♥️♥️♥️

[@jasongentile7098]

That tour guide was super rude....wow.

[@laurenbeth4126]

My Devine being is Jesus ✝️

[@bjh3661]

you got the wrong web page

[@kaleimaile]

You can be a Christian & do EMDR. I am a Christian and I am going thru the training @ this time. It has nothing to do with not believing in Jesus.

[@RobTheFossil]

@@bjh3661 I got to be in the presence of Jesus love during my last session. I was emotionally reborn that day. EMDR awakens our designed healing system that reprocesses energy on our bodies, as Jesus and the Father designed. How do you think Jesus healed so many people during His 3 year ministry? And His apostles did the same.

[@Ahujanjan]

Yes, you are beautiful and You have an amazing body!!!

[@Holypikemanz]

Conversation goes like this. "Hey, are you fat?" "Ya I'm fat and crazy, looks like you are too" "Lets be crazy and pathetic together" "ok!!"

[@francisblokhuis4993]

I don't understand how someone can get so upset and start dissociating after a few comments, that might not even be nasty.

[@AdaAdi77]

Shame is huge, it’s an invalidation of who we are.

[@francisblokhuis4993]

@@AdaAdi77 I doubt.

[@AdaAdi77]

Francis Blokhuis shame is at the bottom Of the pit. It is the subjective experience that counts. I get it when someone hits on me or compliments me! You have to be open to the idea that others are different than you and react differently. That is why an event may be traumatic to some and have no impact on others. It’s deeply personal. So shame in Stephen Porges’ neurophysiology schema, is in the dorsal vagal nerve. It is the freezing response. The death feigning parasympathetic. (There is the good parasympathetic, the ventral vagal, the rest and connect one, but it’s not the case here.) I don’t know how scientific this hierarchy is, but it gives you an idea: images.app.goo.gl/3vKTFfo3Y923JiJR6

[@francisblokhuis4993]

@@AdaAdi77 I think it's arrogance and lazyness.

[@webkinzer99]

Listen to Adam Young Counseling “The Place We Find Ourselves” pod cast Episode 11 on Implicit Memory. He does an excellent job explaining what you are asking about.

[@kellenhalfsighted3500]

This woman should not be a therapist. She's barely in control of herself. And EMDR is a crock. Nobody ever recovered from trauma because someone tapped on their hands.

[@emotophobiccdd8006]

And you'd be knowin

[@AdaAdi77]

Newsflash: this is exactly how the brain processes memories via dreams during REM sleep: eyes moving right to left, left to right! Bilateral movement is nature’s way of balancing the information spread in the two hemispheres. Even if the neurophysiology of this is not understood, the results are there: people process trauma in dreams or, if not lucky and information is stuck, in “office-made dreams” via EMDR or brainspotting. You should check the references in this book of Shapiro: EMDR: the breakthrough therapy for overcoming anxiety, stress and trauma. They have done 37 double-blind studies that proved its efficacy. It’s mainstream therapy already. There is no controversy about this at all.

[@sr2291]

@@AdaAdi77 Just because someone runs studies it doesnt mean this treatment is good for everyone and that now all trauma therapists should use it. Im triggering just watching this.

[@tamoyed]

@@sr2291 the argument isn't that this is good for everyone, no treatment is good for everyone. the argument is that EMDR works as proven in studies and therefore should be used for patients it IS good for :)

[@tamoyed]

wow, someone's a negative nancy. this therapist is also a human being and she's not in "therapist mode", she's in patient mode. she shouldn't be putting professional rules in place while processing her emotions and experiences, that would be unhelpful for both herself and us as the viewers. you may benefit from some consideration of how others are *also* humans with thoughts and emotions, and their very human existences do not mean they cannot do well in their offices when it's time to perform the job.