EMDR, Ego-States, and Neurobiology - Interview with Sandra Paulsen

Listen in to hear Jen and Bridger's conversation with Sandra Paulsen. Yes, THE Sandra Paulsen. The author of some of your favorite books for trauma related dissociation treatment and several popular EMDR texts. Some of her work includes When There Are no Words, Looking Through the Eyes of Trauma and Dissociation, Neurobiology and Treatment of Traumatic Dissociation, and her most recent works, We’re Listening Body, and Indigenous Trauma and Dissociation. — For those of you who don’t know Sandra, she is a clinical and consulting psychologist who has used EMDR and ego state therapy to help many trauma survivors heal for over thirty years. She uses the early trauma approach of EMDR in combination with somatic methods, an intuitive understanding of traumatic reenactment experience, and ego state work to transform and repair trauma held in implicit memory. 

In this conversation, Sandra shares about her experience in developing NEST, N - E - S - T - an integrated and systematic means to identify and address obstacles to the therapeutic repair of the effects of trauma.  

"N" represents the neuroaffective foundations of our understanding and treatment of trauma, including the Early Trauma approach of EMDR.  These foundations are inspired by the seminal contributions of Panksepp, Porges, Schore, and many more. Additionally, Sandra uses technologies such as LENS Neurofeedback, TouchPoints, and AlphaStim where indicated to assist in healing work.  

"E" stands for the emphasis on Embodiment that emerges from utilizing somatic therapeutic interventions to repair somatic dissociation and other bodily and energetic holdings that result from trauma in infancy and beyond.

 "S" represents the system of ego states, which she addresses with Ego State Therapy, seeking to mitigate the protective functions of those states that interfere with working with other hurt child aspects of the self that were disowned for survival.  Subsequently, we mediate internal conflicts and orient forsaken aspects of self to present circumstances and more.

"T" signifies that the approach is a therapy consistent with the core reparative process of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy.  Sandra is known for her integration of the above therapies in a systematic way tailored to the needs of the individual. 

Sandra has many resources available for therapists as well as some workshops on NEST so if you’re interested, head over to paulsenpsychology.com to find out more. 

Before we dive into the episode, we just wanted to share a few of the upcoming training opportunities happening in the institute. Relevant to this episode actually, Jen and I will be doing another SIP II training in Healing the Fragmented self where we connect the basic principles of SIP including the venn diagram and intersubjectivity into how the self is formed throughout development and how it can become fragmented into self states. We also have a couple more workshops that we’re doing in January which includes Offering Healing Intensives, where Jen and I will share our approach to setting up and facilitating EMDR retreats as well as intensives in EMDR therapy. Then Melissa will be doing a workshop on nature based resourcing where she will introduce you to a way of using nature-based resources during Phase 2 of EMDR therapy, focusing on fostering a secure attachment to the natural world. Participants will explore how the four elements—earth, water, fire, and air—can be integrated into therapeutic practice to provide grounding, safety, and connection for clients. If you’re interested in any or all of these things, head over to our website at connectbeyondhealing.com and click on the for therapists tab. 

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