Case Study – Use of developmental timeline in complex PTSD

This single case study illustrates how the use of client’s developmental timeline can be helpful in preparing a client for EMDR when client’s history involves the presence of complex traumas. In a case of a 35 year old Indian married woman, residing in Dubai with her husband, her parents, and her two daughters. She at first arrived with a number of symptoms including a lot of anger, irritability and grief. Her developmental history was charted on a timeline whereby session after session as she shared information about her struggles, she marked it on her timeline. Throughout this time, information about EMDR was introduced and the timeline was utilized to identify her touchstone event and various traumas in her life. Client benefited from visual layout of her history and was also able to compare her traumas against each other and decided which was first or worst. This technique greatly influenced the preparedness of client as well as her sense of empowerment and engagement in EMDR.

Conference

English

S. Lakdawala

Lakdawala, S. (2014, January). Case Study - Use of developmental timeline in complex PTSD. In EMDR Case studies complex PTSD/dissociation (Dr. Jinsong, Chair). Presentation at the 2nd EMDR Asia International Conference, Manila, The Philippines