Embracing the complexities of EMDR re-processing with children in foster care and adoptive families: Developmental, attachment and cultural considerations in practice
Description
Background and aims
Child and adolescent-treating clinicians are aware of the need for developmentally appropriate adaptations to formulating, stabilising, and desensitising trauma and adversity using EMDR. The AIP model invites innovation and integration in our quest to make the benefits of EMDR available to clients of all ages, developmental levels and backgrounds. The presenter aims to offer a basic framework the therapeutic powers of play, creativity, movement, and attunement to support EMDR therapy with children and suggest a path forward for further research and training for clinicians.
Methods
lay and movement-supported EMDR approach relies on attunement to the arousal level of the child, applications of the therapeutic powers of play and structured and robust inclusion of caregivers in the EMDR processing for these children. Case studies will further illustrate the relevance of including a focus on the promising results of targeting experiences of bias and “othering” in transracial/ transnational foster and adoptive families and communities.
Results
Through the case study we will demonstrate the clinical impact of finding a way forward with EMDR processing in challenging and complex cases and describe the impact on the attachment between the child and the current caregiver through qualitative and quantitative data.
Conclusions
Our conclusions suggest the importance of increasing the accessibility and effectiveness of EMDR with this population and as well as describing the impact of further training in applying creative and playful enhancements to EMDR for child and adolescent-serving clinicians
Child and adolescent-treating clinicians are aware of the need for developmentally appropriate adaptations to formulating, stabilising, and desensitising trauma and adversity using EMDR. The AIP model invites innovation and integration in our quest to make the benefits of EMDR available to clients of all ages, developmental levels and backgrounds. The presenter aims to offer a basic framework the therapeutic powers of play, creativity, movement, and attunement to support EMDR therapy with children and suggest a path forward for further research and training for clinicians.
Methods
lay and movement-supported EMDR approach relies on attunement to the arousal level of the child, applications of the therapeutic powers of play and structured and robust inclusion of caregivers in the EMDR processing for these children. Case studies will further illustrate the relevance of including a focus on the promising results of targeting experiences of bias and “othering” in transracial/ transnational foster and adoptive families and communities.
Results
Through the case study we will demonstrate the clinical impact of finding a way forward with EMDR processing in challenging and complex cases and describe the impact on the attachment between the child and the current caregiver through qualitative and quantitative data.
Conclusions
Our conclusions suggest the importance of increasing the accessibility and effectiveness of EMDR with this population and as well as describing the impact of further training in applying creative and playful enhancements to EMDR for child and adolescent-serving clinicians
Format
Conference
Language
English
Original Work Citation
Beckley-Forest, A. (2025, June). Embracing the complexities of EMDR re-processing with children in foster care and adoptive families: Developmental, attachment and cultural considerations in practice. Presentation at the 25th EMDR Europe Association Conference, Prague, Austria
Collection
Citation
“Embracing the complexities of EMDR re-processing with children in foster care and adoptive families: Developmental, attachment and cultural considerations in practice,” Francine Shapiro Legacy Library, accessed November 18, 2025, https://francineshapirolibrary.omeka.net/items/show/29768.