EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment [Hardcover]

Mark Dworkin (Author), Francine Shapiro (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: September 13, 2005 | ISBN-10: 0415950287 | ISBN-13: 978-0415950282

In this groundbreaking work, Mark Dworkin, an EMDR teacher, facilitator, and long-time practitioner, explores the subtle nuances of the therapeutic relationship and the vital role it plays in using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) with traumatized clients. Showing how relational issues play a key role in each phase of EMDR treatment, the author provides tools for the therapist to more efficiently apply this method in the treatment of trauma victims and form a stronger and healthier relationship with the patient. A standard reference for all practitioners working to heal the wounds of trauma, this book will be an essential resource for the effective application of EMDR.

Editorial Reviews

Review

'This book provides a practical, clinically rich framework that will enhance the beginning and experienced clinician’s ability to utilize EMDR. A must-read for all EMDR clinician’s.' - Roger M. Solomon, Senior Faculty, EMDR Institute

From the Back Cover

"This is a very useful book for the practicing clinician, and not only for those who identify themselves as EMDR practitioners. It is full of wise insights and informationfor those wishing to deepen their understanding of EMDR and its application to various clinical situations" Diana Fosha Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Adelphi University; and author of The Transforming Power of Affect: A Model For Accelerated Change, (2000) NY Basic Books

"This is one of the best books I've seen about EMDR practice. It will be an invaluable reading for all EMDR practioners and essential for anyone who seeks to use EMDR in their psychotherapy practice" Nancy J. Smyth, Ph.D, Dean, University of Buffalo School of Social Work

"This book provides a practical, clinically rich framework that will enhance the beginning and experienced clinician's ability... . A must read..." Roger Solomon, Ph.D., Senior Faculty, EMDR Institute

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 328 pages
• Publisher: Routledge (September 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0415950287
• ISBN-13: 978-0415950282
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6.2 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,934 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Raised in the Bronx, partly in a strict Jewish household, and partly on the streets, Mark integrated a way of being studious and streetwise. After college (graduating from Boston University) Mark travelled with his friend Josh to live in San Francisco. After one and a half years he realized that you can take the boy out of the Bronx, but you can't take the Bronx out of the boy, and he returned to NYC. Mark is an Approved Consultant and an Approved Trainer for the EMDR International Association. He has been an EMDR Institute Facilitator for over 10 years. He is a graduate of Columbia University School of Social Work and The Manhattan Institute For Psychoanalysis. He served on the faculty of the Mount Sinai School of Medicine from 1983-90. He is currently in full time private practice in East Meadow NY. His experience in working with traumatized populations started in 1975 when he began working for the Bx VA Medical Center. His first book EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment has been published in September 2005 and has the full support of Dr. Francine Shapiro, who wrote the forward.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Clinical Guidance, May 18, 2006

By 

Victoria Britt "Victoria Britt, LCSW" - See all my reviews
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This review is from: EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment (Hardcover)

This is a fascinating book, describing the interface between EMDR, an evidence based psychotherapy, and its practice from a relational/humanistic viewpoint.

This book reflects the deep understanding of a master EMDR clinician, Mark Dworkin, who has been schooled in a variety of physiotherapeutic models which he has successfully integrated into his way of thinking about and working with his clients. Dworkin goes well beyond the boundaries of any one specific type of psychotherapy filling his book with frankly presented clinical cases and vignettes showing both his successes and failures. Indeed his honesty is remarkable. Dworkin has developed many strategies of self care that the general psychotherapist can adapt to help within the parameters of the system of therapy practiced. He beautifully describes what a great system of thought EMDR is and deftly illustrates how he has learned from counter transferential mistakes. Woven within the fabric of an EMDR session, this book provides an extremely helpful clinical framework for practicing a highly effective psychotherapy. I found reading it extremely useful and believe that this gem of a book should be on every practicing clinician's bookshelf.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Something for all levels of experience, February 20, 2006

By 

Carl J. Nickeson (Orlando, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment (Hardcover)

Dworkin does an excellent job of presenting EMDR as a comprehensive method of doing therapy and not a simple technique. He clearly shows how, as in all approaches to psychotherapy, the quality of the relationship between client and therapist is of paramount importance. Unfortunately, when EMDR is viewed as a mechanical technique, this essential component of therapy may be forgotton.

The book will be useful to therapists who have just taken the training, but also to practitioners who have used EMDR for awhile. For the novice it can help him or her integrate EMDR into whatever methods were used prior to taking the training. And, for the experienced EMDR clincian, a lot of useful ideas are given for mastering the advanced and subtle aspects of treatment.

Overall, a well written, engaging book with numerous case examples that hold the reader's attention.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Very Important Book for EMDR Therapists, November 19, 2006

By 

Teresa Allen (Oakland, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: EMDR and the Relational Imperative: The Therapeutic Relationship in EMDR Treatment (Hardcover)

Mark Dworkin has written what for me, as a relatively new EMDR therapist, is the most helpful book on EMDR I have read. He writes that the client-therapist relationship is so important you can't really do effective EMDR work without it. In the process of making his argument for the importance of relationship, he ends up very effectively explaining how to integrate EMDR into an existing practice and how to both stay out of the way and stay attuned to the client. He describes the process of tending to the working alliance with a client through the eight phases of EMDR treatment. Finally, Dworkin describes how when EMDR seems not to work, it's possible to use a relationship focus to identify and overcome the obstacles. By describing his own work with clients, the author does a great job of describing how varied and creative EMDR work can be, despite its formal, structured protocols.