Feeling stuck with clients who want to do EMDR but fight you at every step?

Pathological Demand Avoidance/Persistent Demand for Autonomy (PDA) is increasingly recognized as a heightened nervous system response to perceived threats to autonomy, driven by significant anxiety and fear of uncertainty. But many clinicians and their clients haven’t even heard of this profile, as it isn't a diagnosable experience. Therefore, these clients are often misunderstood as oppositional, aggressive, or as having borderline features, leading to both trauma and shame. And if the therapist does not know how to address the client’s needs, EMDR will become more of a trauma activator than a healer.

Through the lens of a lived experience, as a PDA profile clinician and an approved EMDRIA consultant and advanced trainer, you will gain insight into what PDA is and how it impacts day-to-day life for individuals with the profile. You will also learn how it creates trauma for the PDA client due to societal expectations, and how to adapt the eight phases of EMDR to make it more affirming and accessible. Case conceptualization, along with opportunities during the training to practice these skills through dyad work, will enable you to apply them in real time.

Participants will leave with a PDA Toolkit of handouts to use in their daily practice.

Important Details:
This is a live Zoom event. Cameras must be on for EMDRIA credits to be issued. But you can turn them off if you are only attending for the learning.

You will receive a confirmation email with all the event details, and a follow-up email with links to the training and all training materials, a week before the event. Please contact Christine MacInnis at [email protected] if you do not receive the emails.

Once you sign up, no refunds will be issued, as this will be offered on demand after the live event, so you can view and obtain the credits even if you are unable to attend. Thanks for understanding!