Allison Grimes, LMHC, CIT

Supportive Consultation For Budding EMDR Therapists

Maybe you’ve just completed Basic EMDR training and feel somewhat ambivalent about getting started with an existing client. You understand the phases of treatment, the theory of Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), and have a long term client who could really benefit from EMDR . You’re concerned that working in this new way (for both you and your client) will feel scripted and unnatural.

Or maybe you completed the Basic training as well as some advanced trainings, but it feels like your clients aren’t progressing as expected. You’re wondering if you’ve made mistakes in the protocol or are missing something in your case conceptualization.

What does consultation look like?

Some clinicians prefer to come to consultation prepared with a case formulation and questions at the ready. Others prefer to arrive having done no preparation and use the time to sort out how they’re feeling about the work, or process more effectively with a thinking partner. I provide you with a case consultation prep sheet that you might choose to fill out ahead of session. Or if you find it more organizing to think and feel your way through the case together, we can do that too.

I generally find it helpful at the start of consultation session to agree on an agenda. While you may not know at the start of session what you’d like to come away with, taking a stab at expressing the kind of help you need can be a step in that direction.

I use a HIPPA compliant video platform. So, you may share video recordings of sessions if you think that would be helpful.

One-on-one consultation sessions can be scheduled for 30 or 50 minutes. I recommend we start with a 50 minute session to zoom out and then in on the case in question. Follow up appointments might require less time.