Therapy Chat

503: Play Therapy + EMDR With Kids - With Ann Beckley Forest + Annie Monaco

Nov 3, 2025
Guest
Annie Monaco
Guest
Ann Beckley Forest
In this engaging discussion, Ann Beckley Forest, an experienced play therapist, and Annie Monaco, an EMDR trainer, share their innovative approach with Playful EMDR. They explain the synergy between EMDR and play therapy in helping children process trauma, emphasizing the importance of playful engagement. Topics include the structured techniques of EMDR tailored for kids, the necessity of building rapport, and the urgency of addressing unprocessed trauma in youth. They also highlight the role of caregivers and the community in supporting therapeutic processes.
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INSIGHT

Play Plus EMDR Enables Exposure

  • EMDR complements play therapy by enabling exposure work that play alone often avoids.
  • Ann Beckley Forest and Annie Monaco say this combination speeds processing and reorganizes traumatic memory.
ANECDOTE

Rapid Change After One EMDR Session

  • Annie described a foster child processing severe trauma within 30–40 minutes and showing rapid behavioral change.
  • After EMDR the child stopped harming animals and touching her sister inappropriately.
ADVICE

Use Dual Attention With Movement

  • Use dual attention (memory + bilateral activity) to keep children present during trauma processing.
  • Integrate tactile or movement bilateral stimulation like drumming or marching when eye movements aren’t feasible.
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