Adapting EMDR for Neurodivergent Clients: Parts Work, Attunement, and Affirming Trauma Therapy, An Interview with Cathy Hanville and Christine MacInnis

About this episode

The episode discusses adapting EMDR for neurodivergent clients through parts work and attunement in trauma therapy.

Adapting EMDR for Neurodivergent Clients: Parts Work, Attunement, and Affirming Trauma Therapy, An Interview with Cathy Hanville and Christine MacInnis Curt and Katie talk with Cathy Hanville and Christine MacInnis about how to adapt EMDR for autistic and ADHD clients with more flexibility, safety, and affirming care. They explore why standard protocols can miss important client needs, how parts work can support trauma treatment, and what therapists should consider when working with neurodivergent clients whose trauma is tied to masking, chronic correction, social rejection, and being misunderstood. In this episode, we talk about: Why EMDR often needs adaptation across all eight phases How parts work can support neurodivergent clients in trauma treatment The impact of masking, correction, and misunderstanding as trauma Sensory, communication, and processing differences therapists need to consider Moving away from compliance-based care toward attunement and collaboration About the guests Christine MacInnis, MSed, MS, LMFT owns Transcends Family Therapy in Torrance, California, specializing in neurodiversity and LGBTQIA+ affirming, trauma-informed care. She is additionally licensed…

People in this episode

Hosts: Curt Widhalm, Katie Vernoy

Guests: Cathy Hanville, Christine MacInnis

Topics covered

• EMDR adaptation
• neurodivergent clients
• trauma therapy
• parts work
• attunement
• affirming care

Keywords

• EMDR
• neurodiversity
• trauma
• autism
• ADHD
• affirming care
• masking
• therapy

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Transcends Family Therapy

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