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Through the Eyes of a Child
This is the first book to explore the use of EMDR with children and adolescents. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) has helped thousands of adults haunted by traumatic events. But what about children? Millions of children witness violence in the home and in the streets. Many others are traumatized by accidents, natural disasters, abuse, and neglect. This book shows that EMDR can be successfully applied to children, which can ensure their mental health, growth, and development.
Through the Eyes of a Child demystifies the application of EMDR for children, from the first session with the parents to later sessions with children at all developmental stages. The adult protocol is modified so that it can be applied to children as young as two years old (and possibly younger). A system of classification of childhood trauma that allows therapists to predict a child's response to EMDR is presented. Myriad cases illustrate the use of EMDR with various traumas. Many examples of simple traumas are presented, including automobile accidents, lightning strikes, bereavement, and specific phobias such as a fear of animals. In addition, cases illustrate success with complex traumas, where aspects of the trauma are ongoing and EMDR becomes part of several possible therapeutic interventions.
EMDR is also discussed as an intervention for children who have problems that are not caused by trauma. Case illustrations show how EMDR can be used with children with ADHD, anxiety, depressive, or reactive attachment disorders, as well as learning difficulties and somatoform disorders.
With its compelling, frank style, Through the Eyes of a Child will appeal to all who are interested in applying this revolutionary new therapy with children.
Through the Eyes of a Child demystifies the application of EMDR for children, from the first session with the parents to later sessions with children at all developmental stages. The adult protocol is modified so that it can be applied to children as young as two years old (and possibly younger). A system of classification of childhood trauma that allows therapists to predict a child's response to EMDR is presented. Myriad cases illustrate the use of EMDR with various traumas. Many examples of simple traumas are presented, including automobile accidents, lightning strikes, bereavement, and specific phobias such as a fear of animals. In addition, cases illustrate success with complex traumas, where aspects of the trauma are ongoing and EMDR becomes part of several possible therapeutic interventions.
EMDR is also discussed as an intervention for children who have problems that are not caused by trauma. Case illustrations show how EMDR can be used with children with ADHD, anxiety, depressive, or reactive attachment disorders, as well as learning difficulties and somatoform disorders.
With its compelling, frank style, Through the Eyes of a Child will appeal to all who are interested in applying this revolutionary new therapy with children.
284 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 1999
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August 10, 2009
This is the first book about applying to children the brief therapy known as EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). Written by therapists for therapists, it presupposes a knowledge of basic EMDR procedure. Therefore, I would recommend reading this book only after going through EMDR, a popular introductory book by EMDR’s developer Francine Shapiro.
Since much of Through the Eyes of a Child presents child-oriented variations on the EMDR procedure, I’ll restrict myself to noting some of Tinker’s more interesting general observations:
*Trauma Widespread—A 1995 study by Gianconia et al indicated that over two-fifths of 18-year-old youths met the diagnostic criteria for at least one trauma and 6% met the criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Another estimate: about 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from traumatic symptoms of some sort. “How many children are traumatized by minor events in ways that we don’t recognize? Or ways that we do recognize but discount, such as being bullied on the playground?” (Therapists call such traumas from everyday humiliation and embarrassment “little t” traumas).
*Interesting Public Health Fact—According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number one public health problem for U.S. children is dog bites. Over half of all kids under twelve have been bitten by a dog. Many of these attacks are traumatic.
*PTSD Widespread—After a 1994 study, Schwarz and Perry estimated that about one million children in the U.S. develop PTSD each year. Another estimate: at least 130,000 kids per year develop PTSD from auto accidents alone.
*Encapsulation of Traumatic Memories—Some neuroscientists think that traumatic memories are encapsulated or “sealed off” in the brain’s right hemisphere, and are therefore prevented from interracting normally with other areas of the brain. However, “[Research Neuropsychologist Ramachadran:] speculates that [in brain-damaged patients:] eye movements ‘arouse’ the damaged right hemisphere, allowing it to become more functional, so that the anosognosic patient becomes aware of information previously inaccessible, or unconsciously stored.” In other words, eye movements somehow trigger interaction between the mute right hemisphere and the seat-of-verbal-consciousness left hemisphere, thus “opening up” the encapsulated memory to normal processing by other brain centers. This hypothesis was given additional support by a study in which Bessel van der Kolk showed with before-and-after brain scans that traumatic memories seem to be localized in the right hemisphere, and that after EMDR this localization disappeared.
*Prediction—Tinker maintains that EMDR therapists should be able to predict how long EMDR will take to effect a cure. The main factors influencing length of treatment are: the nature of the traumatic experience; the age of the child; the supportiveness of the family; and any prior experience of traumas. Parameters predictive of outcome are: simple trauma vs. complex; single vs. multiple; age of initial traumatization; violence or no violence; degree of dissociation; fear of death; duration of traumatic situation; retraumatization during the judicial process; negative experiences from family and social systems; closeness of relationship to perpetrator; and impersonal vs. personal (e.g., natural disaster vs. assault). The “miracles” are most often worked on simple traumas—debilitating symptoms often completely disappear in one to three sessions.
*EMDR Effectiveness—In a 15-month followup after a controlled study of 3-session EMDR therapy, 68% of adults showed improvement, and of those, 90% had fully recovered.
*Not Just Traumas—EMDR is often successful on trauma-less symptoms. In such cases, Tinker works on “ESPs” (emotional stuck points)—for example, chronic anger or anxiety or low self-esteem.
*Emotional “Wash-out”—“One of the most amazing aspects of EMDR is its impact on emotions. It has a way of causing intense emotions to ‘wash out,’ leaving the person with the memory but not the intense affect formerly associated with it. “In the EMDR model, stressful and traumatic events give rise to a negative emotional constellation, which exerts a depressive influence on the individual and the individual’s cognitions and behaviors…. [The EMDR:] model predicts that the emotions have a stronger influence on higher-level cognitions than the other way around.”
*Diagnosis—Conventional diagnostic categories (i.e., in DSM-IV) are often ambiguous and many disorders are routinely misdiagnosed. Tinker’s basic position is, “Damn the diagnosis—full speed ahead!” “The rules are fairly simple: Seek out traumas, upsetting events, emotional stuck points, and apply EMDR regardless of the diagnosis.” And if an underlying trauma can’t be identified, work directly on symptoms (e.g., nightmares, bed-wetting).
*Children vs. Adults—Tinker subdivides childhood into four age groups, recommending slightly different techniques for each group. With the younger groups he uses play therapy, shorter sessions, and often hand taps (even occasionally patty-cake) rather than eye movements to achieve the alternating left-right stimulation. With all children he emphasizes rapport and installing a “safe place”—a visualized place of peace and comfort to which the child can mentally retreat if upset during the therapy (or later). An interesting note: during therapy children abreact (produce strong emotional reactions) much less frequently than adults do—often the therapist can’t tell whether the EMDR has worked until afterward, when the parents report back. Sometimes a child is completely cured of symptoms without showing any emotion during therapy.
This is a good book for people who already know something about EMDR and are especially interested in it.
Since much of Through the Eyes of a Child presents child-oriented variations on the EMDR procedure, I’ll restrict myself to noting some of Tinker’s more interesting general observations:
*Trauma Widespread—A 1995 study by Gianconia et al indicated that over two-fifths of 18-year-old youths met the diagnostic criteria for at least one trauma and 6% met the criteria for a lifetime diagnosis of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Another estimate: about 40 million people in the U.S. suffer from traumatic symptoms of some sort. “How many children are traumatized by minor events in ways that we don’t recognize? Or ways that we do recognize but discount, such as being bullied on the playground?” (Therapists call such traumas from everyday humiliation and embarrassment “little t” traumas).
*Interesting Public Health Fact—According to the Centers for Disease Control, the number one public health problem for U.S. children is dog bites. Over half of all kids under twelve have been bitten by a dog. Many of these attacks are traumatic.
*PTSD Widespread—After a 1994 study, Schwarz and Perry estimated that about one million children in the U.S. develop PTSD each year. Another estimate: at least 130,000 kids per year develop PTSD from auto accidents alone.
*Encapsulation of Traumatic Memories—Some neuroscientists think that traumatic memories are encapsulated or “sealed off” in the brain’s right hemisphere, and are therefore prevented from interracting normally with other areas of the brain. However, “[Research Neuropsychologist Ramachadran:] speculates that [in brain-damaged patients:] eye movements ‘arouse’ the damaged right hemisphere, allowing it to become more functional, so that the anosognosic patient becomes aware of information previously inaccessible, or unconsciously stored.” In other words, eye movements somehow trigger interaction between the mute right hemisphere and the seat-of-verbal-consciousness left hemisphere, thus “opening up” the encapsulated memory to normal processing by other brain centers. This hypothesis was given additional support by a study in which Bessel van der Kolk showed with before-and-after brain scans that traumatic memories seem to be localized in the right hemisphere, and that after EMDR this localization disappeared.
*Prediction—Tinker maintains that EMDR therapists should be able to predict how long EMDR will take to effect a cure. The main factors influencing length of treatment are: the nature of the traumatic experience; the age of the child; the supportiveness of the family; and any prior experience of traumas. Parameters predictive of outcome are: simple trauma vs. complex; single vs. multiple; age of initial traumatization; violence or no violence; degree of dissociation; fear of death; duration of traumatic situation; retraumatization during the judicial process; negative experiences from family and social systems; closeness of relationship to perpetrator; and impersonal vs. personal (e.g., natural disaster vs. assault). The “miracles” are most often worked on simple traumas—debilitating symptoms often completely disappear in one to three sessions.
*EMDR Effectiveness—In a 15-month followup after a controlled study of 3-session EMDR therapy, 68% of adults showed improvement, and of those, 90% had fully recovered.
*Not Just Traumas—EMDR is often successful on trauma-less symptoms. In such cases, Tinker works on “ESPs” (emotional stuck points)—for example, chronic anger or anxiety or low self-esteem.
*Emotional “Wash-out”—“One of the most amazing aspects of EMDR is its impact on emotions. It has a way of causing intense emotions to ‘wash out,’ leaving the person with the memory but not the intense affect formerly associated with it. “In the EMDR model, stressful and traumatic events give rise to a negative emotional constellation, which exerts a depressive influence on the individual and the individual’s cognitions and behaviors…. [The EMDR:] model predicts that the emotions have a stronger influence on higher-level cognitions than the other way around.”
*Diagnosis—Conventional diagnostic categories (i.e., in DSM-IV) are often ambiguous and many disorders are routinely misdiagnosed. Tinker’s basic position is, “Damn the diagnosis—full speed ahead!” “The rules are fairly simple: Seek out traumas, upsetting events, emotional stuck points, and apply EMDR regardless of the diagnosis.” And if an underlying trauma can’t be identified, work directly on symptoms (e.g., nightmares, bed-wetting).
*Children vs. Adults—Tinker subdivides childhood into four age groups, recommending slightly different techniques for each group. With the younger groups he uses play therapy, shorter sessions, and often hand taps (even occasionally patty-cake) rather than eye movements to achieve the alternating left-right stimulation. With all children he emphasizes rapport and installing a “safe place”—a visualized place of peace and comfort to which the child can mentally retreat if upset during the therapy (or later). An interesting note: during therapy children abreact (produce strong emotional reactions) much less frequently than adults do—often the therapist can’t tell whether the EMDR has worked until afterward, when the parents report back. Sometimes a child is completely cured of symptoms without showing any emotion during therapy.
This is a good book for people who already know something about EMDR and are especially interested in it.
November 29, 2021
A little outdated, can use a new addition with DSM-5 updates and advances in EMDR with children. However, the book manages to remain helpful and is a great reference for one looking to do EMDR with children.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews