The Science of Psychotherapy Ana Gomez | EMDR and Somatic Therapy
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Aug 19, 2025 Ana Gomez is a seasoned clinician and author specializing in EMDR and somatic therapies for complex trauma. In this discussion, she unveils her new book on EMDR-Sandtray-based therapy, highlighting how this integrative approach helps children process trauma through safety and distance. Ana details techniques for accessing interoception and managing dissociation with sandtray work. She emphasizes the importance of therapist presence, experiential learning, and how nonverbal methods foster profound change without immediate cognitive insight.
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Multimodal Approach For Complex Trauma
- Ana Gomez emphasizes that developmental and complex trauma require multimodal, integrative approaches.
- She frames EMDR and sand-tray as complementary portals into the embodied mind.
Symbols As Bridges To Memory
- Sand-tray work bridges implicit and explicit memory through symbols that act as avatars.
- Gomez explains avatars let children express overwhelming material from a safe distance.
Use Distance To Prevent Re-Traumatization
- Use sand-tray distance so a child can externalize trauma without owning it immediately.
- Leverage nonverbal play to avoid shutting down language regions during activation.
