Critical incidents

    EMDR (Shapiro)
    • EMDR in practice by Greg Patrick, LCSW, 7/28/97

    Critical incidents
    by Roger Solomon, Ph.D., 9/30/97

    EMDR can be utilized within an overall crisis intervention framework follwing a traumatic incident. The emotional impact of a traumatic event often hits within 24-72 hours. A supportive "frame by frame" session or a critical incident stress debriefing (CISD) may be helpful. Of course, it is important to go at the client's pace. Despite intervention, intrusive symptoms may be very severe and interfere with the client's ability to function. EMDR appears to be effective in reducing symptoms and promoting recovery. EMDR does not truncate recovery or "skip" a recovery phase, but rather enables recovery by reprocessing the dysfunctionally stored arousing information.

    EMDR shortly following a CISD often produces very rapid results, taking 15-30 minutes as opposed to the usual 90 minute hour. This may be because the CISD initiates a positive recovery process that primes the person for further processing with EMDR.

    EMDR is utilized in the FBI's multi-day program that provides follow-up for employees involved in traumatic incidents in recent months. This four day "Post Critical Incident Seminar" provides peer debriefing, education on coping strategies, and EMDR (on a voluntary basis). As with the CISD, effects of EMDR are quite rapid perhaps because of the positive working through process set in motion by the varous components of the seminar. An article describing the FBI's program is near completion and may be posted in the near future.

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