EMDR Deconstructed™
Standard EMDR protocols were designed for single-incident trauma. But most clinicians see complex, relational, and developmental trauma ~ where standard protocols often fail.
This 8-chapter clinician's field guide teaches you how to adapt EMDR for complex trauma: why standard protocols loop or stall, how dissociation blocks progress, and what modifications actually work.
Start with Chapter 2:
Dissociation and Complex Trauma
Why is this chapter free? Because you cannot work with complex trauma without understanding dissociation. If you don't get this, you can only work with single-incident trauma.
This chapter covers the Theory of Structural Dissociation, why standard protocols fail with dissociative clients, and 5 essential assessment tools (DES2, CIPOS, BHS, MID, DDIS).
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What is EMDR Deconstructed?
The Problem with Standard EMDR Protocols
Standard EMDR protocols were designed for single-incident trauma ~ a car accident, a discrete assault, a natural disaster. But most trauma therapists don't see single-incident trauma. We see complex, relational, and developmental trauma: childhood abuse, neglect, attachment wounds, and repeated interpersonal violations. When we try to apply single-incident protocols to these presentations, we often hit walls: looping, flooding, dissociation, or clients who simply can't access the standard protocol.
EMDR Deconstructed is a reconceptualization of how to work with complex trauma using modified versions of protocols that were originally designed for single-incident trauma. It breaks EMDR down to its component parts and rebuilds them in ways that actually work for complex presentations.
The goal is not to abandon EMDR, but to adapt it to the client in front of you. By understanding the historical roots and mechanisms of each EMDR component, clinicians can piece them back together in flexible, safe, and effective ways for complex trauma.
Key Insight
"The fear of doing it wrong blocks both creativity and connection with your client. EMDR components are rooted in validated psychotherapeutic methods ~ understanding these roots empowers flexible, safe application."
Free Chapter: Dissociation and Complex Trauma
FREE PDFWhy is Chapter 2 free?
You cannot use EMDR for complex or developmental trauma without understanding how dissociation works. If you don't get this, you can only work with single-incident trauma. This is the most critical chapter in the workbook ~ so we're giving it away.
What you'll learn:
- • Theory of Structural Dissociation (TSDP)
- • Why standard protocols loop, stall, or fail
- • How to recognize dissociation in session
- • 5 essential assessment tools
Assessment tools included:
- • DES2 (Dissociative Experiences Scale)
- • CIPOS (Present Orientation & Safety)
- • BHS (Back of Head Scale)
- • MID & DDIS for complex cases
Also available:
Preview Chapter 1: Introducing EMDR Deconstructed (PDF)What's Inside: All 8 Chapters
Each chapter includes downloadable clinical worksheets, assessment tools, and protocol guides. Click any chapter to see what's covered and why it matters for complex trauma work.
Get All 8 Chapters with Clinical Worksheets
Includes downloadable protocols, assessment tools, and step-by-step guides
Get the Complete Workbook
The complete 161-page Field Guide Edition is available as a PDF from EMDRDeconstructed.com.
EMDR Deconstructed™
by Linda A. Curran, BCPC, LPC, CAADC, CCDPD
A comprehensive workbook for adapting EMDR protocols ~ originally designed for single-incident trauma ~ to the complex, relational, and developmental trauma presentations clinicians actually encounter.
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