EMDR Therapy on Children and Adolescents II.
Tracks
South Hall 3 (A + B) | Room 3
| Saturday, May 31, 2025 |
| 11:30 - 12:30 |
Speaker
Mrs. Arianne Struik
Director
ICTC
EMDR with children in residential care. This mission is possible!
11:30 - 12:00Abstract
Authors
Arianne Struik1,
Kerry O’Sullivan2,
Jenny Dwyer3
1Director Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children, PO box 407, Agnes Water, QLD 4677, Australia
2Director Clinical Services, MacKillop Family Services, 237 Cecil Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
3Director EMDR Academy Australia. PO Box 3078 Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
Background and Aims
Many young people in residential care have experienced chronic trauma. Due to their severe presentations and resistance EMDR may seem impossible. The aim of this presentation is to show that EMDR with these challenging children is possible. The presenters will discuss how to prepare and engage children in residential care with the Sleeping Dogs method [1] and the necessary adaptations to deliver EMDR successfully. They will share the results of several pilot study’s conducted from 2022-2025 with children and teens in residential care in Tasmania, Melbourne and the Netherlands.
Methods
The presenters will outline the model’s key points. The Sleeping Dogs Tool is used to analyse the child’s situation and plan interventions to remove their barriers to engage. Residential caregivers provide psychoeducation, motivate and support the child, and identify and manage their complex and challenging behaviours, which is a key component of this model. Another key component is the intense collaboration with family members, often traumatized and difficult to engage. The intensive EMDR weeks of EMDR are planned and prepared thoroughly with the young person, family and staff. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected pre
and post EMDR therapy [2,3,4].
Results
This model has enabled young people (7-18 years old) in residential care who initially refused to engage, to complete EMDR, resulting in a reduction of trauma symptoms. Parents show increased safe behaviour and reduced violence, drug and alcohol abuse, leading to improved relationships, reconnecting with family, and an increase in family reunifications.
Conclusions
EMDR with children in residential care is possible!
Learning objectives
This workshop will provide inspiration for those working with hard-to-engage young people who are often the most traumatized but have inadequate access to EMDR therapy. Participants will:
• Gain insight into how to address challenges and barriers to delivering EMDR in out-ofhome-care, particularly in residential care
• Learn the central principles underlying the Sleeping Dogs method
• Identify key benefits and challenges of the intensive treatment model used in this project
References
[1] Struik, A. (2019). Treating Chronically Traumatized Children: The Sleeping Dogs method (Second ed.).London, UK/ New York, NY: Routledge.
[2] Dwyer, J., Struik, A., O’Sullivan, K., & Cukierman, R. (2024). Implementing the Sleeping Dogs Method in Engaging Young People in Residential Care in EMDR. Australian Social Work, 1-10. doi:10.1080/0312407x.2024.2394108
[3] Morris et al., in preparation
[4] Schoorl et al., in preparation
Arianne Struik1,
Kerry O’Sullivan2,
Jenny Dwyer3
1Director Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children, PO box 407, Agnes Water, QLD 4677, Australia
2Director Clinical Services, MacKillop Family Services, 237 Cecil Street, South Melbourne VIC 3205, Australia
3Director EMDR Academy Australia. PO Box 3078 Richmond VIC 3121, Australia
Background and Aims
Many young people in residential care have experienced chronic trauma. Due to their severe presentations and resistance EMDR may seem impossible. The aim of this presentation is to show that EMDR with these challenging children is possible. The presenters will discuss how to prepare and engage children in residential care with the Sleeping Dogs method [1] and the necessary adaptations to deliver EMDR successfully. They will share the results of several pilot study’s conducted from 2022-2025 with children and teens in residential care in Tasmania, Melbourne and the Netherlands.
Methods
The presenters will outline the model’s key points. The Sleeping Dogs Tool is used to analyse the child’s situation and plan interventions to remove their barriers to engage. Residential caregivers provide psychoeducation, motivate and support the child, and identify and manage their complex and challenging behaviours, which is a key component of this model. Another key component is the intense collaboration with family members, often traumatized and difficult to engage. The intensive EMDR weeks of EMDR are planned and prepared thoroughly with the young person, family and staff. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected pre
and post EMDR therapy [2,3,4].
Results
This model has enabled young people (7-18 years old) in residential care who initially refused to engage, to complete EMDR, resulting in a reduction of trauma symptoms. Parents show increased safe behaviour and reduced violence, drug and alcohol abuse, leading to improved relationships, reconnecting with family, and an increase in family reunifications.
Conclusions
EMDR with children in residential care is possible!
Learning objectives
This workshop will provide inspiration for those working with hard-to-engage young people who are often the most traumatized but have inadequate access to EMDR therapy. Participants will:
• Gain insight into how to address challenges and barriers to delivering EMDR in out-ofhome-care, particularly in residential care
• Learn the central principles underlying the Sleeping Dogs method
• Identify key benefits and challenges of the intensive treatment model used in this project
References
[1] Struik, A. (2019). Treating Chronically Traumatized Children: The Sleeping Dogs method (Second ed.).London, UK/ New York, NY: Routledge.
[2] Dwyer, J., Struik, A., O’Sullivan, K., & Cukierman, R. (2024). Implementing the Sleeping Dogs Method in Engaging Young People in Residential Care in EMDR. Australian Social Work, 1-10. doi:10.1080/0312407x.2024.2394108
[3] Morris et al., in preparation
[4] Schoorl et al., in preparation
Mrs. Arianne Struik
Director
ICTC
EMDR for chronic preverbal trauma in young children
12:00 - 12:30Abstract
Authors
Arianne Struik1
1Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children, PO box 407, Agnes Water, QLD 4677, Australia
Background and Aims
Trauma exposure in young children can significantly derail the child’s development and create general and trauma-specific problems even at a later age. This also impacts the parents and the way they interact [1,2, 3]. Parents become overprotective, stressed, avoidant and they child’s distress can undermine their confidence, leading to further traumatization. EMDR therapy needs a wider focus, not only on the initial trauma, but also on this ongoing traumatization. The Parent-Child EMDR protocol [1] provides this customized treatment and integrates the
latest research in the field of infant mental health, attachment, memory and EMDR [4,5]. The aim of this presentation is to provide insight into the protocol and how child and parents overcome trauma and build healthy attachment relationships.
Methods
The Parent-Child EMDR protocol focuses on treating traumatization of the child and (foster) parent simultaneously and changing attachment patterns by verbalizing and mentalizing trauma associations in child, parent and their interaction. Treatment also improves the (foster) parents’ confidence through mentalizing the parent-child interaction during and after EMDR.
Some parents participate in EMDR for themselves. In an explorative pilot study, treatment data of 18 children between 8 weeks and 3.5 year were gathered. Therapists scored PTSD symptom clusters of the DC 0-5 criteria pre, post and at three months follow-up.
Results
All participants (n=18) lost their diagnosis after treatment with a total duration 10.7 sessions. Treatment data provide valuable insights into treating the entanglement of traumatization of parents and infants.
Conclusions
The Parent-Child EMDR protocol is a promising short and customized treatment.
Learning objectives
Participants will:
• Understand the impact of trauma on infants and parents.
• Gain insight into delivering EMDR with infants
• Increase their understanding of treating the entanglement of traumatization of parents and infants.
References
[1] Went, M., Struik, A., Möller, E., Zijlstra, B. J. H., Dumoulin, A., van Haaften, G., & Rodenburg, R. (2024). Parent-Child EMDR therapy for children aged 0–4 years: Protocol, pilot-data, and case study. European
Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 8(4). doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2024.100475
[2] Wesselmann, D., Armstrong, S., Schweitzer, C., Davidson, M., & Potter, A. (2018). An Integrative EMDR and Family Therapy Model for Treating Attachment Trauma in Children: A Case Series. Journal of EMDR
Practice and Research, 12(4), 196-207. doi:10.1891/1933-3196.12.4.196
[3] Wizansky, B., & Bar Sadeh, E. (2021). Dyadic EMDR: A Clinical Model for the Treatment of Preverbal Medical Trauma. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 20(3), 260-276. doi:10.1080/15289168.2021.1940661
[4] de Roos, C., Offermans, J., Bouwmeester, S., Lindauer, R., & Scheper, F. (2025). Preliminary efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for children aged 1.5-8 years with PTSD: a multiple baseline
experimental design (N = 19). Eur J Psychotraumatol, 16(1), 2447654. doi:10.1080/20008066.2024.2447654
[5] Potharst, E. S., Holtkamp, P., Walliser, L., Dommerholt, A. H., van den Heuvel, M. E. N., Spierts, I., & Maric, M. (2024). Improving Infant Mental Health: A Pilot Study on the Effectiveness, Acceptability and Feasibility
of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Storytelling in Infants With Post-traumatic Distress After Medical Procedures. Evaluation & the Health Professions. doi:10.1177/01632787241268176
Arianne Struik1
1Institute for Chronically Traumatized Children, PO box 407, Agnes Water, QLD 4677, Australia
Background and Aims
Trauma exposure in young children can significantly derail the child’s development and create general and trauma-specific problems even at a later age. This also impacts the parents and the way they interact [1,2, 3]. Parents become overprotective, stressed, avoidant and they child’s distress can undermine their confidence, leading to further traumatization. EMDR therapy needs a wider focus, not only on the initial trauma, but also on this ongoing traumatization. The Parent-Child EMDR protocol [1] provides this customized treatment and integrates the
latest research in the field of infant mental health, attachment, memory and EMDR [4,5]. The aim of this presentation is to provide insight into the protocol and how child and parents overcome trauma and build healthy attachment relationships.
Methods
The Parent-Child EMDR protocol focuses on treating traumatization of the child and (foster) parent simultaneously and changing attachment patterns by verbalizing and mentalizing trauma associations in child, parent and their interaction. Treatment also improves the (foster) parents’ confidence through mentalizing the parent-child interaction during and after EMDR.
Some parents participate in EMDR for themselves. In an explorative pilot study, treatment data of 18 children between 8 weeks and 3.5 year were gathered. Therapists scored PTSD symptom clusters of the DC 0-5 criteria pre, post and at three months follow-up.
Results
All participants (n=18) lost their diagnosis after treatment with a total duration 10.7 sessions. Treatment data provide valuable insights into treating the entanglement of traumatization of parents and infants.
Conclusions
The Parent-Child EMDR protocol is a promising short and customized treatment.
Learning objectives
Participants will:
• Understand the impact of trauma on infants and parents.
• Gain insight into delivering EMDR with infants
• Increase their understanding of treating the entanglement of traumatization of parents and infants.
References
[1] Went, M., Struik, A., Möller, E., Zijlstra, B. J. H., Dumoulin, A., van Haaften, G., & Rodenburg, R. (2024). Parent-Child EMDR therapy for children aged 0–4 years: Protocol, pilot-data, and case study. European
Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 8(4). doi:10.1016/j.ejtd.2024.100475
[2] Wesselmann, D., Armstrong, S., Schweitzer, C., Davidson, M., & Potter, A. (2018). An Integrative EMDR and Family Therapy Model for Treating Attachment Trauma in Children: A Case Series. Journal of EMDR
Practice and Research, 12(4), 196-207. doi:10.1891/1933-3196.12.4.196
[3] Wizansky, B., & Bar Sadeh, E. (2021). Dyadic EMDR: A Clinical Model for the Treatment of Preverbal Medical Trauma. Journal of Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychotherapy, 20(3), 260-276. doi:10.1080/15289168.2021.1940661
[4] de Roos, C., Offermans, J., Bouwmeester, S., Lindauer, R., & Scheper, F. (2025). Preliminary efficacy of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for children aged 1.5-8 years with PTSD: a multiple baseline
experimental design (N = 19). Eur J Psychotraumatol, 16(1), 2447654. doi:10.1080/20008066.2024.2447654
[5] Potharst, E. S., Holtkamp, P., Walliser, L., Dommerholt, A. H., van den Heuvel, M. E. N., Spierts, I., & Maric, M. (2024). Improving Infant Mental Health: A Pilot Study on the Effectiveness, Acceptability and Feasibility
of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Storytelling in Infants With Post-traumatic Distress After Medical Procedures. Evaluation & the Health Professions. doi:10.1177/01632787241268176
