EMDR Introject Decathexis Protocol: An Integrative Approach to Unbind Perpetrator Parts

It is well-established in both the EMDR therapy and complex trauma-dissociative disorders literatures that self-state/parts-focused work with clients is frequently not only helpful but also necessary to achieve stabilization/containment, trauma resolution, and integration of treatment gains into how a person functions in day-to-day life. With limited exceptions, interventions both within and outside the EMDR therapy tradition focus on certain tasks in working with perpetrator-imitating parts, often referred to in the psychodynamically-influenced literature as abuser/persecutorial ‘introjects'. With limited exceptions, interventions both within and outside the EMDR therapy tradition focus on particular tasks in working with negative introjects: 1) orienting them to the realities of the present, the body, and the whole self; 2) persuading them to ‘stand down’ or reconsider what ‘protection’ could look like; 3) and, helping other parts feel less afraid of the introject. The exceptions noted include interventions involving either hypnotically induced abreactions; reducing the charge of negative beliefs; or, containing dissociative, emotional intrusions from the introject. However, there are both conceptual and practical issues that limit these approaches’ effectiveness in facilitating lasting, adaptive resolution of the at-times profound harm inflicted upon the self by negative introjects. We will look the phenomena that help explain the development of perpetrator-identifying parts; discuss the functions they can serve within, and the impact they can have upon, the self-system; review the existing approaches to working with these parts both within and outside EMDR therapy practice, including their observed limitations; and, examine a novel, yet highly-effective and safe, approach to permanently ‘de-fanging’ perpetrator-identifying parts developed by the presenter, integrating Ego State Therapy, clinical hypnosis, and EMDR therapy. The treatment frames informing the approach will be established; necessary preparatory tasks and precautions for its safe use will be laid out; and, the protocol itself will be described through case examples.

This course is based on the recorded webinar, EMDR Introject Decathexis Protocol: An Integrative Approach to Unbind Perpetrator Parts created by D Michael Coy, MA, LICSW in 2020.