The EMDR toolbox method (ETM): Expanding Jim Knipe’s work and enhancing the AIP model

Since its inception, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has evolved into an effective treatment not only for post-traumatic stress disorder but also for a range of other psychological conditions. To better meet clients’ needs, clinicians and researchers have pursued 2 primary directions: (a) modifying and integrating the standard 8-phase, 3-pronged EMDR protocol and (b) extending the use of bilateral stimulation to additional trauma-related phenomena such as urges, psychological defenses, and dissociative processes. Within this second line of development, Jim Knipe has emerged as one of the most influential contributors, culminating in the publication of The EMDR Toolbox: Theory and Treatment of Complex PTSD and Dissociation. This paper aims to introduce the EMDR Toolbox Method (ETM), which systematizes, extends, and further develops Knipe’s EMDR Toolbox into a comprehensive clinical framework. It incorporates further theoretical considerations with a proposal for terminological standardization, an adaptive-information-processing-based case-formulation tool and a wider parts model. To date, the evidence supporting the ETM is primarily empirical and grounded in clinical practice. Continued clinical trials and research are encouraged to evaluate both its effectiveness and efficacy.

Journal

English

Manuela Spadoni
Paola Arnaboldi
Jim Knipe

Spadoni, M., Arnaboldi, P., & Knipe, J. (2026). The EMDR toolbox method (ETM): Expanding Jim Knipe’s work and enhancing the AIP model. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 20(27). https://doi.org/10.34133/jemdr.0027