Response to question about how to treat OCD with EMDR

Can EMDR treat OCD?

Here is a recent excellent article on Attachment-Focused EMDR for OCD by Joyce Blake:

https://etq.emdrassociation.org.uk/2024/07/29/attachment-focused-emdr-for-obsessive-compulsive-disorder-three-case-studies/

Hopefully you find it helpful and as always with the attachment lens we begin in the present in order to open up the neural network and bridge back to the past for processing those formative experiences. Then back in the time machine to the present (and to the future, which can be a great way to run the movie of not responding to thoughts, urges, images, and/or reducing or delaying compulsions etc.).

Attachment-focused EMDR can potentially do the ‘heavy lifting’ as it were with processing some of these early experiences, with exposure and responding differently to intrusive thoughts and images also part of treatment with an emphasis on compassion and finding alternatives for the OCD protector part.

The case conceptualisation as always is important and with this approach the understanding of OCD as a defence or protective part, that is working very hard in the present prong, to protect against the earlier overwhelming experiences and emotions (with Mark Brayne's helpful question of curiously asking 'how did the client get to be this way'). Often about trying to maintain some control in an unpredictable world. As ever this is a matter of trusting that the AIP will take you to where it needs to go. At the starting point in the present prong, it's helpful to locate the emotions and body sensations and trace back from these feelings, whilst not getting caught up with the content of obsessive thoughts (conceptualising rumination and worry as protective strategies).

Once back in the earlier story of the past, looking out for relational issues such as shaming, learning to suppress emotions, magical thinking, learning to please and appease, punishment for mistakes, too much responsibility on young shoulders/ parentification, not being protected, uncertainty and unpredictability etc etc...all key themes for OCD.

Following on from Joyce's research and article, Joyce, Linda Sunderland and Bea Carrington have some exciting things in the pipeline.

We are working on CPD workshops for OCD with an attachment lens, a specific AIP EMDR / OCD formulation, group supervision, and potentially an application to create an OCD EMDR SIG. Watch this space!