EMDR Therapy for Schizophrenia and Other Psychoses

I read this book from the perspective of a mental health counselor who works with psychosis but who doesn’t practice EMDR, and though this put me at a disadvantage, it didn’t keep me from very much enjoying and appreciating the book!One image Miller used a lot was that of the wizard in the wizard of Oz: instead of paying so much attention to the appearance the wizard is trying to create, he suggests we instead need something like the little dog Toto that sniffs out the “man behind the curtain” which is where the real action is.In this case, the entity behind the curtain is problematic “memory networks” which also manifest as “ego states” that are related to trauma and difficult experiences.Miller shares lots of examples of how he helps people with diverse psychotic experiences using EMDR, with some adaptations for psychosis. His approach zeroes in on the disturbing emotions or affect related to the experiences and the related memory networks, and then he helps people process this in their own way so that it becomes less disturbing.He describes giving people drugs alongside therapy, but often deliberately reduced amounts of drugs (consistent with the notion that he relays that one must “feel in order to heal.”) And he clearly talks about cases of completely successful treatment where all drugs were then discontinued.He doesn’t frame the eye movement thing itself as being especially magical – he frames it at one point as a kind of “helpful noise” that just facilitates the processing.Anyway, this book could be worth checking out for yourself, or suggesting to others, especially if you or those you know sometimes practice EMDR, or just want to get familiar with how psychosis can be an understandable reaction to difficult experiences and how a therapy to address that can possibly help people fully recover!

This is a wonderful book, even if you never see a patient who is diagnosed with schizophrenia or psychoses it is still very valuable. Miller sites the research and takes away the curtain from the mystery of attempting EMDR with these most challenging clients. He combines heart with science and the notion of the third way, which is a beautiful way to think about psychotherapy in general and EMDR specifically. The Dutch and Japanese research in working with these sever clients is helpful. I encourage EMDR clinician to buy this book. You will not be disappointed. It will provide new insights and ideas related to all 8-phases of EMDR therapy and the AIP model. There is much to learn here and it is not all about working with schizophrenic's or psychotics. I never work with these types of clients and still found this book invaluable.

This goes over all of the research that had been done at the time which is not a lot and essentially says that things might help but we don’t know yet.

It’s a different view and approach of schizophrenia and psychosis. It’s quite convincing and much more logical and humane than the tradicional medical model.I bought this book expecting a protocol to treat schizophrenia sufferers, and it is not what the author presents us. He introduces a way of viewing psychosis, interpret it, “react” to it. More like embrace it and let it act out its role.What I didn’t enjoy much is the extensive review of the EMDR theory and AIP model. In my humble opinion, anyone who doesn’t already understand most of that, shouldn’t be reading this book at all. It felt like an overkilling, over-extensive introduction. Quite boring sometimes.Albeit the critic above, I think it is a very good resource, and I finally feel confidente I have a pathway to work EMDR with my Psychosis suffering patients.

Super interesting

Exactly as described and fast shipping. Great resource.