en route to present at EMDR Canada...

My goal was to write this post before my trip to Canada, so I am going to say that I made my deadline as I am still in US territory as I fly toward Calgary... there has been more progress in the use of the MET(T)A Method at Refuge Recovery Centers, and the list of those clinicians and treatment centers who are interested in the model continues to grow. The initial response to my new book (coauthored by Jamie Marich) has made it more clear that this is the right direction to take EMDR therapy on its own, but also emboldens our efforts at the Center to provide an improved addiction treatment experience to clients, as well as to staff.

When I present on Sunday, I will be highlighting some of the case examples from Refuge, and not just case examples of clients but also examples of the effect on therapists who are trained in this therapy and who work on a team using this method. So far I have not had any pushback or lost any clinicians due to our using this method of treatment. In fact, as we have accessed so far trainees from Antioch and USC, with other colleges to follow including Pepperdine and Pacific Oaks, potential trainees are seeking us out because they hear what we are doing. Some are aware only of the Buddhist mindfulness aspect, others only of the EMDR therapy aspect, and others of the whole of the method. New cover letters and resumes of those who want to train with us come in every week. Those trainees who have signed on and worked with us have either learned and implemented new skills or deepened already developed skill sets. For instance, one of our therapists was a very experienced yoga teacher who had some mindfulness background related to yoga practice, and now has a dedicated Buddhist mindfulness practice and an ability to share that with clients. She also has become a very effective EMDR therapist, drawing on trauma education in school, and then ongoing training, consultation and supervision at Refuge.

And then there is the team aspect. The clinical team works very closely together using the language of EMDR therapy and trauma treatment as it relates to addictions. We come from the premise that all clients are receiving Phases One and Two of EMDR for certain, and we talk about how to support the client's continued trauma recovery journey. So far what we have noticed as a team is that this common language and set of goals makes us much more effective. One signpost of possible effectiveness is that a vast majority of our clients ask to stay longer in treatment than they originally signed on for. Therefore, they might have increased time in a contained and supportive environment to get to and through some of their trauma work while still in treatment.

I am looking forward to sharing this all with the conference attendees. And yes, I am looking forward to driving through a national park to get to the conference center in Banff...

We are starting our descent... I will have more to say from the conference and after the conference... Until then...