“To be effective as psychotherapists, we need to be well versed and literate in neuroscience, emotional and somatic communications and symbolic thought processes. Integrative psychotherapy allows a practitioner to blend current best practices in the field of psychology to maximally help clients heal.”
In what scenarios are EMDR and these adjunctive techniques appropriate?
Dr. Alter-Reid specializes in the treatment of first responders including therapists, police, firefighters, and health/service professionals and their life partners.
Dr. Alter-Reid’s latest publication, The Transgenerational Impact of Anti-Semitism, appears as a chapter in Cultural Competence and Healing Culturally Based Trauma with EMDR Therapy (Mark Nickerson, Editor).
In cases of acute stress reactions and post-traumatic stress reactions:
- Personal events
- car accident, divorce, job loss, medical diagnosis, physical or sexual assault
- Man-made or natural mass disasters
- Trauma in the line of duty
- Betrayal trauma/after-the-incident trauma
- Secondary trauma/compassion fatigue
Each technique can play a role in healing individuals suffering from trauma. The psychotherapist must find the appropriate blend to optimally treat the patient.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a state-of-the-art form of comprehensive psychotherapy which helps clients rapidly process through painful, traumatic life experiences. More...
Sensorimotor Psychotherapy
In sensorimotor psychotherapy, the therapist helps track and treat the client’s incomplete fight/ flight/ freeze responses from traumatic events. This is done by visually ‘reading’ somatic responses that the client displays during sessions and by helping the client focus attention to these inner states for resolution and release. More...
Hypnosis
Hypnotherapy is part of the therapist’s toolbox to introduce deeply relaxed states which help with habit reduction and regulation of intense emotions. More...
Mindfulness
Encouraging regular practice of mindfulness helps clients utilize psychotherapy sessions more effectively; it decreases racing thoughts and has both physical and mental health benefits. More...
Biofeedback
A non-invasive, in-office or at-home biofeedback practice of heart-rate variability-control helps to reduce stress.