Webinar on EMDR Therapy for School Refusal Behavior

Introduction

• Speaker: Carolyn Settle
• Experience: Over 44 years working with children, adolescents, and adults in trauma, abuse, or loss
• Topic: Using EMDR therapy to treat school refusal behavior in children and adolescents
• Context: Increased school avoidance post-pandemic

Understanding School Refusal Behavior

• Definition: Reluctance or refusal to attend school
• Causes:
  • Academic pressure
  • Social stressors
  • Family dynamics
  • Global and local events (e.g., COVID-19, school shootings)
  • Anxiety and trauma
• Impact:
  • Emotional and social developmental issues
  • Academic performance decline

Identifying Causes

• Factors:
  • Anxiety disorders
  • Depression
  • Family dysfunction
  • Academic difficulties
  • Bullying and social anxiety
  • Learning disabilities
  • Family substance abuse
  • Overprotective parenting
• Assessment:
  • Interviews with parents and children
  • Academic and behavioral evaluations

Interventions

• Evidence-Based Approaches:
  • Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • Relaxation training
  • Family therapy
  • Collaboration with school for accommodations
• Pharmacological Interventions:
  • Consider SSRIs with psychiatrist consultation for severe cases

EMDR Therapy Overview

• Foundation: Adaptive Information Processing model by Francine Shapiro
• Phases of EMDR:
  • History taking
  • Preparation
  • Assessment
  • Desensitization
  • Installation
  • Body scan
  • Closure
  • Re-evaluation
• Application:
  • Adjust language for developmental appropriateness
  • Integrate with expressive therapies for children

Case Studies

• Six-Year-Old:
  • Issue: School refusal after mother's absence
  • Solution: EMDR processing past traumas, gradual exposure
• Sixteen-Year-Old:
  • Issue: Anxiety about returning post-pandemic
  • Solution: Process triggers, integrate school support

Parent and Therapist Strategies

• Parent Involvement:
  • Set firm expectations
  • Collaborate with school and therapists
• Therapist Role:
  • Provide supportive environment
  • Monitor and adjust interventions

Questions & Answers

• Strategies for incomplete processing
• Engaging children who lack school experience due to the pandemic
• Non-monetary rewards for progress
• Addressing parental frustrations and secondary gains
• Insurance issues and session lengths

Resources

• Books and Materials:
  • EMDR Institute and EMDRIA resources
  • "EMDR and the Art of Psychotherapy with Children, Third Edition"
• Online Resources:
  • Google Scholar for additional research
  • Springer Publishing for EMDR titles

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This webinar emphasized the complexity of school refusal behavior and the effectiveness of a multifaceted approach, integrating EMDR with other therapeutic interventions to support children and adolescents in overcoming school avoidance.