EMDR digital protocol (EMDR-DP): A virtual reality approach processing - The preparation phase

F. Shapiro called at the 2010 EMDR Asia Conference for the global EMDR network to accelerate the treatment process of the standard protocol (with a focus on the preparatory phase). This with a view to increasing the total number of high quality EMDR treatments, knowing that the imbalance between the need for trauma treatment and the professionals available for it continues to grow exponentially. The EMDR standard protocol (EMDR-SP) is a very stringent procedure that ensures the standardization and quality assurance of individual therapy sessions ("face to face intervention"). The rapid development of digital technology, especially in the area of Virtual Reality, opens up a hitherto untapped potential; a possibility to convert the use of partial areas of the EMDR standard protocol into VR technology. Taking into account the treatment guideline of gradual positive progress (Leeds, at the EMDR Europe Conference 2018),which should be the preferred treatment especially after prolonged absence of mental health, the development of a prototype named EMDR Digital Protocol (EMDRDP) has progressed to such an extent that it may have the potential to exponentially increase the number of trauma treatments performed by each practitioner by applying VR technology (“face to net intervention”). THE EMDR-DP protocol is completely applicable over VR glasses, suitable for group sessions from 5 persons and includes 9 steps (Introduction, Resource Rhythm, Decluttering Rhythm, Freeze, Decluttering, Resource State I, II and III, Future Orientation). There are short pauses between the steps in which interactive dialog between the user and the instructor is possible.

Conference

English

Jörg Albers

Albers, J. (2020, January). EMDR digital protocol (EMDR-DP): A virtual reality approach processing - The preparation phase. Presentation at the 4th EMDR Asia International Conference, Bangkok, Thailand