Dolores Mosquera: EMDR Therapy
with Somatoform Dissociation and
Suicidal and Self-harming behaviours
19 & 20 July 2024
Holiday Inn Auckland Airport
(This training is in person only and will not be live streamed or
recorded)
19 July 2024 from 9am - 5pm: Treating Somatoform Dissociation with EMDR
Therapy
20 July 2024 from 9am - 5pm: EMDR Therapy for suicidal and self-harming behavior’s
Dolores Mosquera is a psychologist specializing in complex trauma, personality
disorders, and dissociation. She is the director of the Institute for the Study of Trauma
and Personality Disorders in Spain. Dolores has extensive teaching internationally.
She has published several books, book chapters and articles trauma-related
disorders. Dolores received the David Servan-Schreiber award for outstanding
contributions to the EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) field in
2017, was made Fellow of the International Society for the Study of Trauma and
Dissociation in 2018, for her contributions to the trauma and dissociation field, and
received the MAM10 Prix David Servan-Schreiber award in 2021 to a foreign
researcher who has made a notable international contribution, having advanced
research in the field of EMDR. In 2022 Dolores received the award Professional of the
Year in the category of Psychology for the trajectory and significant contributions in
dignifying the profession (psychology).
The outlines of the seminars are included below. A certificate of attendance will be
issued for Professional Development.
Hosted by Hope Worx Ltd Events and chaired by Ian Wood (EMDR Accredited
Practitioner and EMDRNZ Board member)
Enquiries to: [email protected]
Registration and Payment https://events.humanitix.com/dolores-mosquera-nz-2024
Full dietary provision on registration
Accommodation (Special rate of $195 a room) Std king or twin room and a Special
breakfast rate of $20 are available at the hotel.
The code for a discount for hotel accommodation is. EMDR Conference (reference 5974206). Click on the link to go directly to bookings. Any problems with the link you can call the Hotel 09-2751059
Free parking on-site and a free bus from the airport
The prerequisite for attendance is the completion of Part One of Basic Training.
Cost: $650 - Early Bird Registration until 1 June 2024
$695 - Full registration from 2 June 2024
Full Bio and seminar outlines at https://events.humanitix.com/dolores-mosquera-nz-
2024
Seminar Outlines
Treating Somatoform Dissociation with EMDR Therapy
Somatoform dissociation is characterized by multiple somatic symptoms and troubling
presentations that initially resemble physical illnesses, however, by definition, no
physical explanation for the symptoms can be found.
Clients with somatoform dissociation are often given multiple diagnoses and receive
trials of multiple ineffective treatments. These symptoms are often intrusions of the
sensory elements of unresolved traumatizing events, including childhood physical and
sexual abuse, neglect, and attachment failures. With many dissociative clients we can
establish contact with dissociative parts easily and communicate with them, but parts
can be more difficult to identify in some somatoform dissociation cases, therefore an
approach other than the usual techniques for working with dissociated parts is
required.
In the standard EMDR protocol for PTSD we can work with material that the patient
does not want to disclose. With somatoform dissociation we can work with material
that the client cannot disclose verbally (only through symptoms) and does not even
understand. EMDR Therapy is an integrative approach that processes the information
in different levels, including the physical sensations. Practical examples on how to deal
with such symptoms with EMDR therapy will be presented with videos.
EMDR Therapy for Suicidal clients and Self-harming behaviours
Self-harm and suicidal ideation are probably two aspects that present the greatest
relational challenges for therapist. The patient who self-injures or thinks about killing
himself, poses a complex situation at a relational level, and being aware of our
emotional response as clinicians is a central aspect of the intervention.
The situation of hopelessness and despair of the patient who sees no meaning in
life, can lead clinicians to see them as lost cases. The emotional reaction to the
possibility of a patient committing suicide can be intense, and the therapist may
engage in avoidance behaviors. In addition, some patients may attempt to deposit
the responsibility of their life on us. This is a particularly important point since a
therapist who tends to get involved in excess can end up taking responsibility for
the patient's life, which will always be a dead end for the therapeutic process. In this
workshop we will address interventions to manage these aspects and prevent
unhelpful responses.
Some people confuse the terms suicide and self-harm or the intention of both. Many
people who self-harm do not want to die, in fact this behavior sometimes helps them
tolerate their suffering and keeps them alive. But if patients do not have the
resources to manage their emotions and solve problems, the chances of resorting
to suicide as a solution increase.
Self-harm is frequently a trauma-driven coping strategy that can be understood from
the perspective of the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model and treated with
EMDR Therapy (Shapiro, 1995; 2001). Suicidal ideation and self-harming behaviors
are often connected with memories of adverse and traumatic life experiences.
Working with EMDR can provide a powerful way to neutralize self-harm. When
destructive behaviors are based on lack of regulation skills, it is necessary to give
the patient adaptive information and tools. Working on memories that are at the
basis of such dysregulation is crucial in many cases. On many occasions, emotions,
feelings, beliefs or self-harm memories are connected with specific biographical
events. To identify and process these memories can put an end to the self-injurious
behavior. The target will not be the self-harming behaviors themselves, but the
circumstances surrounding the first time in which they occurred, the origin of the
negative beliefs associated with the problem and memories that can identified
through the affect bridge.
In this workshop we will explore the different stages of suicidal ideation and how to
work with them. The assessment of vital risk is a priority in a patient with these
behaviors. We will also address self-harm behaviors and emotional regulation from
the perspective of EMDR.
Key Program Content
1. This workshop integrates the management of suicide ideation, self-harming
behaviours and emotional dysregulation with the AIP model
2. How to conceptualize different self-harming behaviours and suicide from the
AIP model.
3. How to organize EMDR the treatment plan of suicidal ideation and self-harm.
4. Specific interventions for self-harm and suicidal ideation
5. Skills to improve emotional regulation and coping strategies.
6. Clinical examples
Learning objectives:
1. Participants will be able to describe the different stages of suicide ideation
and how to work with them.
2. Participants will be able to understand self-harm and suicide from the AIP
perspective.
