In 1992 an extensive survey was sent to the 1200 clinicians Francine Shapiro had trained asking about their clinical experience with EMDR. EMDR was new and it would take a while before many randomized controlled studies would be available (actually there were very few RTCs of method of therapy for the effects of trauma then), so it seemed important that there be information available about the effects of EMDR from independent sources. In addition there was the important, and not often seen, body of clinical “lore” that would be based on a systematic collection of data, not just the passing on of clinical impressions, which is/was a common way clinicians receive our information. So, here is the survey presented at The American Psychological Association Annual Convention (August, 1994) “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR): A Quantitative Study of Clinician Impressions of Effects and Training Requirements” and as published in the now out of print first edition of Shapiro’s basic text, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (1995).
Resources
Fighting the Last War: On Courage and Wisdom
This paper comes out of discussions of issues addressed in meetings with combat veterans in the Stress Disorder Treatment Unit at North Chicago VAMC, now named The Captain James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center.
The Short Version:
The main psychological challenge while in combat is to, minute by minute, find courage to overcome fear and pain. The main challenge of civilian life is to find wisdom to define and meet long term goals. Knowing this is a big step toward overcoming the problems which come with mistaking civilian challenges for combat challenges.
The Long Version:
Using the GLEQ
The Great Lakes Event Questionnaire (GLEQ):
The Great Lakes Event Questionnaire (GLEQ) is a one page trauma history questionnaire initiated in 2000 aid in psychotherapeutic work with combat veterans. It was subsequently developed and refined to its current form. Key features include:
- asking about broad categories of events in order to gently prompt consideration of both major trauma and significant less obviously destructive events.
- subjective units of disturbance ratings of the effects of events to
facilitate understanding of their relative impact and measure change. - a format that indicates that specifics are verbalized and disclosed at client discretion.
A second page can be included to briefly ask about client values and positive aspects of client lives. Clinical suggestions about when and how to use the GLEQ are offered in the attached paper. The GLEQ is in the public domain and can be modified to fit therapist needs.