EMDR, generational trauma and criminal recidivism: Toward safer communities

1.8 million people are incarcerated in the U.S., and each year 650,000 people reenter society and return to their communities. Many have high ACES scores and childhood neglect histories contributing to the likelihood of reoffending. Many recidivists reenact early trauma or seek serially to maladaptively solve their attachment yearnings or have other unresolved traumatic motives. EMDR is successfully used in prisons, as will be conveyed using interview data with clinicians. As one presenter is a former homicide detective who conducted thousands of interviews/interrogations, case material will poignantly illustrate the psychological reenactment dynamics of offenders. One presenter uses Early Trauma EMDR to repair developmental trauma, and both use standard protocol to intervene in traumatic reenactments and intergenerational transmission of trauma. The audience will glimpse into a future where telehealth or direct EMDR reduces recidivism by resolving developmental trauma and injurious early relationship experiences before prisoners return to society.

Conference

English

Sandra Paulsen
Ken Gardner

Paulsen S., & Gardner, K. (2024, September). EMDR, generational trauma and criminal recidivism: Toward safer communities. Presentation at the at the 29th EMDR International Association Conference, Virtual