Group EMDR

Group EMDR—Healing Together

What is Group EMDR (G-TEP)?

Group Traumatic Episode Protocol (G-TEP) is an EMDR protocol adapted for the group setting. (EMDR is a research proven trauma processing therapeutic intervention.) The group is a stand alone group lasting 2-4 hours depending upon the needs of the group. This means that group members do not have to attend multiple sessions in order to experience relief from symptoms.

This group adaptation is considered to be more “gentle” than the traditional EMDR protocol and protects clients from flooding. This means that G-TEP can be used within hours of a traumatic incident. Research shows that GTEP can prevent traumatic memories from becoming stuck in a maladaptive form decreasing the likelihood of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). G-TEP is also effective in reducing distressing symptoms related to careers with ongoing traumatic stress like medical, mental health, first responders, non-profit, etc. It is also effective in decreasing distressing symptoms related to multiple lived experiences like cancer survivors, disasters, grief, clients with ADHD, chronic illness or even the difficulties with parenting neurodivergent children. The applications of G-TEP are incredible!

This blog is focussed on answering a few of the top questions about GTEP.

What if I don’t want to talk to others?

You don’t have to! One of the biggest advantages of G-TEP is the “Blind 2 Therapist” modification to the EMDR protocol. A client is able to process traumatic memories or negative beliefs without disclosing any of the details of what they are processing. This allows each group member to feel freedom from the fear of stigma, shame, or guilt. This “Blind 2 Therapist” modification is particularly helpful for those populations where stigma is a barrier to care like frontline and emergency workers.

But what if I do want to talk?

Participation in group discussions is completely voluntary, but talking about your experience can increase your own healing. After completing the EMDR protocol, group members are able to talk about their healing experiences from the group. The sharing of the positive revelations, changes of negative thoughts to more adaptive positive thoughts, and the relief of releasing stored trauma is a truly powerful and healing experience.

What does the research say?

G-TEP can significantly lower both PTSD and depressive symptoms. In fact, one experiment showed 61% percent of the participants who completed the G-TEP protocol no longer met the criteria for PTSD, and those results were maintained at a 4 week followup (Yurtsever et al., 2018). Another study showed that G-TEP significantly lowered reduction of burnout, negative work affect, depressive symptoms, anxiety, and stress-related symptoms (Pink et al., 2022). These are only two of the many different studies showing the effectiveness of G-TEP, and research is ongoing as the EMDR community continues to learn about the many ways in which G-TEP can help many different traumatic events and ongoing traumatic stress situations.

What is next?

Contact Abiding Waters to schedule a free consultation to see if Group EMDR (GTEP) is right for you. We will talk about what EMDR is and explain the group process. We will also answer any questions you may have. If you have an organization or a group of people who would like to form their own EMDR group, contact us to schedule a consultation.

References

Yurtsever, A., Konuk, E., Akyuz, T., Zat, Z., Tukel, F., Cetinka, M., Savran, C, & Shapiro, E. (2018). An Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Group Intervention for Syrian REfugees With Post-traumatic Stress Symptoms: Results of Randomized Controlled Trial. Frontiers in Psychology. 9:493. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00493 

Pink, J., Ghomi, M., Smart, T., & Richardson, T. (2022). Effects of EMDR Group Traumatic Episode Protocol on Burnout Within IAPT Healthcare Professionals: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 16(4). doi: 10.1891/EMDR-2022-0029