Treating internalised shame and phobias in LGBTIQA+, neurodiverse and other marginalised communities using EMDR: Approaches from anti-oppressive practice

The EMDR Standard Protocol emphasises neutrality and minimal intervention from the therapist. Shapiro’s (1995) Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model assumes that as distress reduces, natural adaptive processes within the client facilitate access to corrective information and reframing of negative cognitions (Solomon & Shapiro, 2008). Shame, such as the shame caused by internalised phobias, can block processing. If shame is empathised with or focused on without external intervention, this magnifies shame (Fisher, 2017). Marginalised diverse communities (LGBTIQA+, neurodiverse, plural, BIPOC, disability, bodily diversity and more) frequently internalise schemata of defectiveness and shame due to dominant White cis/het/neurotypical/ableist narratives. These are often referred to as internalised phobias. EMDR has been used effectively to treat traumas specific to the LGBTIQA+ community, including internalised shame and phobia, and traumas due to conversion therapy experiences (Balcom, 2000, Chang, 2017, EMDRIA, 2022). However, in anti-oppressive practice, the therapist cannot remain neutral as is encouraged in mainstream therapy, as this results in collusion with oppression and reinforces shame (Danzer, 2018; Ansara, 2020). We present our observations from clinical practice by this queer and neurodiverse-identifying therapist, and argue that a non-neutral stance and therapeutic presence, including the use of anti-oppressive EMDR interweaves, is essential to resource marginalised clients to overcome and process internalised shame.

Conference

English

Miro Rainsford

Rainsford, M. (2024, May). Treating internalised shame and phobias in LGBTIQA+, neurodiverse and other marginalised communities using EMDR: Approaches from anti-oppressive practice. Presentation at the EMDRAA Conference, Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia