For Marriage, Family and Child Therapists

EMDR integrates well into a family systems approach. For a comprehensive overview and detailed examination see Shapiro, F., Kaslow, F., & Maxfield, L. (Eds.) (2007). Handbook of EMDR and Family Therapy Processes.New York: Wiley.

Addionally, a detailed review appears in a chapter with senior author Florence Kaslow, Ph.D., ABPP, a past president of the Division of Family Psychology of APA, and of the International Family Therapy Association:

The most important overall positive treatment effect of using EMDR in family therapy interventions is the incorporation of an approach that can resolve therapeutic impasses. This is particularly true for those impasses that are based on emotional blocks or traumas stemming from individual historical events-especially those related to family-of-origin experiences. Often the origins of the emotional blocks that impede improvement are . . . mostly or totally out of the realm of awareness.

- Kaslow, F. W., Nurse, A. R., & Thompson, P. (2002). EMDR in conjunction with family systems therapy. In F. Shapiro (Ed.), EMDR as an integrative psychotherapy approach: Experts of diverse orientations explore the paradigm prism (pp. 289-318). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

For those interested in exploring this avenue, note the numerous articles addressing family and child applications.

For adult, adolescent, and child studies: http://www.EMDRHAP.org/researchandresources.htm

Five books explore EMDR's application with children:

Adler-Tapia, R., & Settle, C. (2008). EMDR and the art of psychotherapy with children. NY: Springer

Greenwald, R. (1999). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) in child and adolescent psychotherapy. New Jersey, Jason Aronson Press.

Lovett, J. (1999). Small wonders: Healing childhood trauma with EMDR. NY: The Free Press.

Shapiro, F., (2001). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols and procedures (2nd ed.). New York: Guilford Press.

Tinker, R. H. & Wilson, S. A. (1999). Through the eyes of a child: EMDR with children. New York: Norton.