Interweaving EMDR and Other Trauma Approaches
When it comes to healing from trauma, no one-size-fits-all approach exists. Each individual’s experience with trauma is unique, which means trauma recovery requires a flexible, tailored approach. One such comprehensive method is the integration of multiple therapeutic modalities to create a more dynamic and effective healing process.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Internal Family Systems (IFS), parts work, inner child work, and somatic therapy are all powerful tools that, when combined, can support deeper healing and transformation.
In this blog, we’ll explore how these approaches can be intertwined to create a holistic trauma recovery journey.
Understanding EMDR
EMDR is a highly effective trauma therapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or tapping, to help reprocess traumatic memories that have been “stuck” in the brain. These unresolved memories can continue to affect a person’s thoughts, behaviors, and emotions.
EMDR helps individuals transform these memories by facilitating the brain’s natural healing process.
Through this reprocessing, individuals can shift negative beliefs, decrease distressing emotional responses, and achieve a greater sense of resolution around their trauma.
What is Internal Family Systems (IFS)?
Internal Family Systems (IFS) is a therapeutic approach developed by Dr. Richard Schwartz that focuses on understanding and healing the “parts” of ourselves. IFS views the mind as consisting of various subpersonalities or parts, each with its own feelings, beliefs, and behaviors. Some parts may have been wounded by trauma and can become stuck in maladaptive patterns.
IFS works by helping individuals identify, understand, and heal these parts, ultimately restoring harmony within the internal system.
It’s based on the belief that every part, no matter how seemingly dysfunctional, has a positive intention for the individual.
Integrating Parts Work with EMDR
Parts work, often associated with IFS but also utilized in other therapeutic approaches, focuses on the idea that people have different aspects or “parts” of themselves that hold various thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. These parts may include wounded inner children, angry protectors, or critical voices.
When interwoven with EMDR, parts work can bring incredible depth to the healing process. For example, EMDR can be used to process the trauma held within specific parts, such as a child part or an anxious protector. In these cases, EMDR targets the specific trauma memories and beliefs attached to these parts. As EMDR reprocesses these memories, parts work can help the individual gain insight into the role each part plays, what their underlying fears are, and how they can be gently reintroduced into a more balanced internal system.
The Role of Inner Child Work
Inner child work is a core part of trauma therapy, particularly when working with past wounds that may have occurred in childhood.
Often, when traumatic experiences occur in formative years, they can become lodged within the subconscious and affect how a person interacts with themselves and others later in life.
Through inner child work, individuals reconnect with their inner child, allowing them to process unresolved childhood trauma.
In EMDR, this may involve focusing on past memories of the individual as a child and using bilateral stimulation to reprocess those painful experiences. Inner child work within EMDR can help restore a sense of safety, nurturing, and compassion that was lost in early childhood.
By using IFS and parts work in conjunction with inner child work, individuals can better understand how their inner child is showing up in their life and what that part needs to heal. These modalities help foster an understanding that inner child wounds aren’t just memories, but present-day parts of the psyche that need attention and care.
Somatic Therapy and EMDR—Connecting the Body and Mind
Trauma is not only stored in the mind; it is often stored in the body. Somatic therapy focuses on the body’s physical sensations to release trauma that may be stuck in muscles, tissues, or nervous systems. This approach involves body awareness, breathwork, movement, and other techniques to facilitate healing on a physiological level.
Integrating somatic therapy with EMDR can create a profound healing experience. In fact, many people find that trauma-related physical sensations or somatic experiences can resurface during EMDR sessions.
By combining the body-focused approach of somatic work with the reprocessing power of EMDR, individuals can experience a deeper level of healing, as the body and mind begin to work together to release trauma.
For example, during EMDR, a person may be asked to focus on a specific traumatic memory, and as they do so, they might become aware of a physical sensation in their body, such as tightness in the chest or a feeling of nausea. A somatic practitioner can help the individual explore that sensation, guiding them to release it through breathwork or gentle movement. This integration supports a more comprehensive recovery, addressing both the emotional and physical impacts of trauma.
How These Approaches Work Together
Each of these trauma approaches—EMDR, IFS, parts work, inner child work, and somatic therapy—has its unique strengths. However, when interwoven, they create a synergy that allows for a more complete healing process. Here’s how they complement one another:
EMDR and IFS/Parts Work—EMDR can target specific traumatic memories, while parts work can help the individual identify the roles these memories play within the internal system. By processing the trauma and understanding the protective mechanisms that are in place, individuals can achieve more profound healing and reintegration.
EMDR and Inner Child Work—Inner child work focuses on healing wounds from childhood. EMDR facilitates the reprocessing of these memories, allowing the individual to reconnect with their inner child in a compassionate, healing way. This creates a sense of wholeness and resolution.
EMDR and Somatic Work—Trauma is often held in the body. Somatic work helps individuals become aware of these sensations and release them. EMDR can address the emotional and cognitive aspects of trauma, while somatic therapy helps clear the physiological impact, leading to holistic healing.
The Benefits of Combining These Approaches
Integrating EMDR with these other trauma therapies offers a powerful, multidimensional approach to healing. By combining these modalities, individuals can:
Achieve deeper emotional processing of trauma
Heal both the mind and body
Reconnect with and heal wounded parts of themselves, including their inner child
Cultivate a sense of internal harmony and balance
Release somatic trauma stored in the body
Experience a more profound sense of safety, trust, and self-compassion
Trauma healing is a deeply personal journey, and integrating approaches like EMDR, IFS, parts work, inner child work, and somatic therapy provides a more comprehensive and holistic pathway. By combining these methods, individuals can tap into different aspects of healing—emotional, cognitive, physical, and spiritual—ultimately creating lasting change. Whether you are healing from childhood trauma, complex trauma, or any other form of distress, using a variety of trauma-focused techniques allows for a tailored approach that can address the unique needs of your recovery.
How to Get Started with Integrated Trauma Therapy
If you're interested in exploring an integrative approach to trauma therapy that combines EMDR, IFS, parts work, inner child work, and somatic therapy, reach out to Spilove Psychotherapy. Our licensed therapists are experienced in these trauma-focused modalities and are here to help.
Schedule an initial consultation to discuss your goals, ask about the therapist’s approach, and determine if you feel comfortable moving forward.
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About the Author
Julia Castagna is a dedicated therapist at Spilove Psychotherapy, specializing in trauma-informed care and innovative therapeutic modalities. With a deep understanding of the healing journey, she helps clients navigate complex emotional landscapes, from anxiety and depression to eating disorders to trauma recovery. Julia’s approach is rooted in creating a safe and curious space for clients to explore their challenges and discover pathways to healing. She is particularly passionate about offering a range of therapy options, including EMDR, DBT, and Trauma Intensives, ensuring that each client finds the approach that best fits their unique needs. Julia is working toward gaining additional training in Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP) and will be offering cutting-edge treatments for those seeking new avenues for emotional growth.
Besides working with clients as a trauma therapist she is also the Assistant Clinical Director at Spilove Psychotherapy.
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