How to Thrive Beyond Trauma: EMDR and Internal Family Systems Therapy for CPTSD

By Pamela J. Madsen, MS, LPC, RYT-200

Living with Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (CPTSD) can feel like navigating a never-ending storm. The pain, anxiety, and emotional turmoil can be overwhelming. Thankfully, the mental health field continuously evolves, offering new and more effective healing methods. Two of the most powerful therapeutic approaches that have emerged in recent years are Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) and Internal Family Systems (IFS). Integrating these two therapies can be a game-changer for those struggling with CPTSD.

What is CPTSD?

Before diving into how EMDR and IFS can help, let’s take a moment to understand CPTSD. Unlike PTSD, which often results from a single traumatic event, CPTSD arises from prolonged, repetitive trauma, usually during childhood. This could include ongoing abuse, neglect, or domestic violence. The symptoms are often more pervasive, affecting many aspects of a person’s life, including how they relate to not just the world and others around them but also the relationship with their self.  Often, these individuals are significantly impacted by what they did not get in childhood, which can be difficult to identify because the wounds aren’t apparent like physical abuse.

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a well-established, evidence-based therapy primarily used to treat trauma. It involves a structured process where the therapist guides the client through recalling distressing memories while engaging in bilateral stimulation, typically through eye movements. This process helps reprocess traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge and integrating them into the individual’s broader life narrative.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS is a transformative approach that views the mind as a system of parts, each with its own emotions and behaviors. These parts often emerge as a response to trauma. For instance, one part might be the inner critic, while another might be a vulnerable child. IFS helps individuals understand and harmonize these parts, fostering self-compassion and internal harmony.  IFS is particularly effective for healing those with CPTSD because there are many conflicting internal dilemmas as they often love their harmful caregivers in childhood, and each of these parts needs support and a voice.

Why Integrate EMDR and IFS?

Both EMDR and IFS are powerful on their own, but when combined, they can offer a more comprehensive approach to healing CPTSD. Here’s how:

• Holistic Healing: EMDR targets specific traumatic memories, helping to desensitize and reprocess them. IFS, on the other hand, works with the broader system of internal parts that these traumatic experiences have shaped. Together, they address both the individual memories and the overall internal landscape.

• Enhanced Emotional Regulation: CPTSD often involves severe emotional dysregulation. EMDR can reduce the intensity of traumatic memories, making them less overwhelming. IFS helps clients develop a compassionate relationship with their internal parts, promoting emotional balance and resilience.

• Deepened Self-Understanding: Through IFS, clients gain insight into how different parts of themselves have developed in response to trauma. This self-awareness can enhance the EMDR process, as clients can better connect present triggers with past experiences.

• Increased Sense of Control: EMDR can sometimes be intense, and clients may feel overwhelmed by the memories that surface. IFS provides tools to create a sense of safety and control as clients learn to communicate with and soothe their internal parts.

A Combined Approach in Practice

Here’s how a combined EMDR and IFS session might look:

• Starting with IFS: The therapist begins by helping the client identify and connect with their internal parts. For instance, they might discover a protective part that’s wary of revisiting traumatic memories.

• Transitioning to EMDR: Once the client feels safe and understood, the therapist can guide the client through EMDR to address specific traumatic memories. During this process, the client can call on their internal resources for support, creating a sense of teamwork and internal solidarity.
• Returning to IFS: After an EMDR session, the therapist might return to IFS to help the client process any new parts or feelings that emerged. This ensures that the work done in EMDR is fully integrated into the client’s internal system.

Final Thoughts

Healing from CPTSD is a journey, and no single approach works for everyone. However, the integration of EMDR and IFS offers a promising path forward. This combined approach can foster deep, lasting healing by addressing both the traumatic memories and the internal parts shaped by those experiences.

If you or someone you know is struggling with CPTSD, consider exploring therapists trained in both EMDR and IFS. Remember, seeking help is a courageous first step toward healing, and you don’t have to navigate this journey alone. Together, these therapies can help restore your emotional freedom through self-discovery and healing.

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To discuss how therapy could help you during this season of your life, please contact me or schedule your free 15 minute consultation.

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