Dissociation SIG

The idea for setting up the SIG Dissociation first came to fruition when Dr Louise Mackinney and I spoke at the EMDR UK Conference, Cardiff, in March 2022 about our shared interest in this area.  Our first meeting was in October 2022 and we meet 4 times a year.  We have also held successful CPD events with more lined up for the year ahead.  We now have 167 members. 

As clinicians we know that most clients that come for treatment have multiple traumas and present with complex trauma with/without dissociation. The SIG Dissociation is an opportunity to discuss ways of working with complex trauma and dissociation and to think about the evidence, ongoing research and research ideas for the future.  This is evidence-based practice.  There is an abundance of literature on complex trauma and dissociation and this can be overwhelming.  Practice-based evidence, supervision and learning from colleagues provides an additional way of sharing about best practice.  The SIG Dissociation provides a forum for this.  It was evident from the responses of individuals who completed the SIG Dissociation membership form that there is a vast range of questions about how to work with this presentation.  Whatever questions clinicians may have in terms of clinical problems, passing on knowledge or just talking about a topic that members are enthusiastic about, the SIG Dissociation provides a space for that.  At our last two general meetings members submitted questions for discussion which included non-epileptic seizures and working with DID. These questions enabled important information to be prepared in power point form to create the learning space and open up discussions.  Notes about the discussion and learning points from these general meetings were then sent out to all members of the SIG Dissociation.  The positive feedback from members was much appreciated.

The SIG Dissociation is for EMDR therapists who have completed their standard EMDR training and who have an interest in working with complex cases with dissociation.  If you wish to join the SIG Dissociation please email Sharon Croskin at mindalot@croskin.co.uk and request a SIG form. 

Please do sign up to the EMDR Association UK Forum as well so that we can generate discussions.

Chair: Sharon Croskin – mindalot@croskin.co.uk