Online EMDR sessions with children: A case study
Description
Children are exposed to traumatic experiences whenever they witness their loved ones are hurt. Children who have seen their attachment figures are hurt tend to have anxiety and fear of loss, which, in return, can have a negative impact on their daily lives. Several studies have proved EMDR psychotherapy to be effective for children and adolescents with traumatic experiences. COVID-19 pandemic had many professionals consider online psychological counseling sessions more and more as an alternative to face- to-face ones. Similar to in-person therapy, online EMDR sessions comprise all 8 phases: initial history tak- ing and treatment planning, preparation, assessment, desensitization, installation, body scan, closure, and re-evaluation. Furthermore, EMDR offers the flexibility for each phase to be adapted to the age and needs of the client. This study aims to describe the effectiveness of the online EMDR sessions carried out with an 8-year-old boy who witnessed her mother broke her leg after having fallen down the stairs. Con- sequently, he had to spend a month apart from her.
Qualitative case study was employed in this research to be able to describe the psychological coun- seling sessions effectively and explain the EMDR intervention in detail. Pseudonyms were used to ensure the client’s privacy. The researcher and the parent took notes on the psychological counseling process. Moreover, all the sessions were recorded and then transcribed by the researcher. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was done using Nvivo. Qualitative case studies include more than mere quantitative data but can be supported with it as well. Thus, Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8) was administered as pre, post and follow-up tests.
A total of 11 online EMDR sessions, including the follow-up session, were carried out with the client. Based on the thematic analysis findings, three factors were identified to make online EMDR sessions effective: ther- apeutic connection (I hear you!), intervention methods (healing through bilateral stimulation), observable change (I see you!). Keeping the initial preparation phases long enough before moving onto desensitiza- tion was noted to be essential to create a therapeutic connection. Bilateral stimulation through pictures was proven to be effective in the desensitization phase, while bilateral stimulation through stories was ef- fective in the installation phase. The client managed to draw a picture of his mother being able to move again later in the sessions, even though he drew the moment she fell as the worst picture at the begin- ning. This helped us understand that processing had started, and the trauma had been solved. “Healing story” technique was employed in the installation phase to help with the repeated anxiety patterns and trauma. The client was observed to be able to identify with the content of the story. Moreover, at the end of the counseling process, the client could connect with his mother better, could stay at home away from her and could practice the skills he learnt to calm down in his daily life. Last but not least, the total score of CRIES-8 decreased to 10 (post-test) from 21 (pre-test) and was found to be 5 in the follow-up test.
Times when children have to stay away from their attachment figures combined with the thoughts that they could be hurt can create traumatic experiences for them. This study was carried out with one client, therefore cannot be generalized. However, it describes how to employ the EMDR protocol in online ses- sions and proves it effectiveness. Playing active games and resource installation in the preparation phase facilitated the transition to desensitization. Compared to face-to-face therapy, online sessions needed to be kept shorter. Furthermore, having a couple of extra activities and sharing them with the family were also essential to the success of the process. The parents are expected to act like an assistant therapist due to the nature of online sessions. This study contributes to the literature as it could be a guideway for the professionals who plan to make use of online EMDR sessions with children.
Qualitative case study was employed in this research to be able to describe the psychological coun- seling sessions effectively and explain the EMDR intervention in detail. Pseudonyms were used to ensure the client’s privacy. The researcher and the parent took notes on the psychological counseling process. Moreover, all the sessions were recorded and then transcribed by the researcher. Thematic analysis of the qualitative data was done using Nvivo. Qualitative case studies include more than mere quantitative data but can be supported with it as well. Thus, Children’s Revised Impact of Event Scale (CRIES-8) was administered as pre, post and follow-up tests.
A total of 11 online EMDR sessions, including the follow-up session, were carried out with the client. Based on the thematic analysis findings, three factors were identified to make online EMDR sessions effective: ther- apeutic connection (I hear you!), intervention methods (healing through bilateral stimulation), observable change (I see you!). Keeping the initial preparation phases long enough before moving onto desensitiza- tion was noted to be essential to create a therapeutic connection. Bilateral stimulation through pictures was proven to be effective in the desensitization phase, while bilateral stimulation through stories was ef- fective in the installation phase. The client managed to draw a picture of his mother being able to move again later in the sessions, even though he drew the moment she fell as the worst picture at the begin- ning. This helped us understand that processing had started, and the trauma had been solved. “Healing story” technique was employed in the installation phase to help with the repeated anxiety patterns and trauma. The client was observed to be able to identify with the content of the story. Moreover, at the end of the counseling process, the client could connect with his mother better, could stay at home away from her and could practice the skills he learnt to calm down in his daily life. Last but not least, the total score of CRIES-8 decreased to 10 (post-test) from 21 (pre-test) and was found to be 5 in the follow-up test.
Times when children have to stay away from their attachment figures combined with the thoughts that they could be hurt can create traumatic experiences for them. This study was carried out with one client, therefore cannot be generalized. However, it describes how to employ the EMDR protocol in online ses- sions and proves it effectiveness. Playing active games and resource installation in the preparation phase facilitated the transition to desensitization. Compared to face-to-face therapy, online sessions needed to be kept shorter. Furthermore, having a couple of extra activities and sharing them with the family were also essential to the success of the process. The parents are expected to act like an assistant therapist due to the nature of online sessions. This study contributes to the literature as it could be a guideway for the professionals who plan to make use of online EMDR sessions with children.
Format
Conference
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Çitil, C., & Korkmazlar, Ü. (2021, June). Online EMDR sessions with children: A case study. Presentation at the international Infant, Child, and Adolescent Psychology Congress, Virtual
Citation
“Online EMDR sessions with children: A case study,” Francine Shapiro Library, accessed May 3, 2024, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/28532.