Skip to main content Accessibility help

We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings.

Close cookie message
×
Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T09:38:00.815Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Chapter 10 - African American Narratives of Trauma: An EMDR Approach to Tapping into the Strengths of Black Love

from Part III - Adapting Major Therapeutic Approaches for Work with African American Couples

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

By
Alice Shepard  and
Katherine McKay
Edited by
Yamonte Cooper  and
Erica Holmes
Yamonte Cooper
Affiliation:
El Camino College, Torrance, California
Erica Holmes
Affiliation:
Antioch University, Los Angeles
Get access

Summary

The intergenerational history of racial oppression and injustice for Black Americans is cumulative and traumatic. High rates of trauma combined with a disparity in mental health care can leave many Blacks without adequate resources to cope with the magnitude of the distress they experience. As a result, when those with traumatic pasts enter relationships, they are often underprepared for the demands of maintaining emotional connection and the synergistic effect of their pain. This chapter explores Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) as a critical approach needed to address trauma’s neurological, emotional, and relational impact. It provides a culturally relevant model of applying EMDR to create a healing space for building self-efficacy, worth, trust, and intimacy within Black romantic partnerships.

Keywords

EMDRcouplesBlackstraumatherapy
Type
Chapter
Information
Black Couples Therapy
Clinical Theory and Practice
 , pp. 235 - 252
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2023

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Alegría, M., Fortuna, L. R., Lin, J. Y., Norris, L. F., Gao, S., Takeuchi, D. T., Jackson, J. S., Shrout, P. E., & Valentine, A. (2013). Prevalence, risk, and correlates of posttraumatic stress disorder across ethnic and racial minority groups in the US. Medical Care, 51(12), 1114–1123. https://doi.org/10.1097/MLR.0000000000000007Google Scholar
Carter, R. T. (2007). Racism and psychological and emotional injury: Recognizing and assessing race-based traumatic stress. The Counseling Psychologist, 35(1), 13–105.Google Scholar
Children’s Bureau. (2020). Child maltreatment 2018. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Administration on Children, Youth and Families. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/cb/report/child-maltreatment-2020Google Scholar
Conner, K. O., Copeland, V. C., Grote, N. K., Rosen, D., Albert, S., McMurray, M. L., Reynolds, C. F., Brown, C., & Koeske, G. (2010). Barriers to treatment and culturally endorsed coping strategies among depressed African-American older adults. Aging and Mental Health, 14(8), 971–983.Google Scholar
Dixon, L. E., Ahles, E., & Marques, L. (2016). Treating posttraumatic stress disorder in diverse settings: Recent advances and challenges for the future. Current Psychiatry Reports, 18(12), 108. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11920-016-0748-4Google Scholar
Guillory, P. (2021). Emotionally focused therapy with African American couples: Love heals. Routledge.Google Scholar
Helms, J. E., Nicolas, G., & Green, C. E. (2010). Racism and ethnoviolence as trauma: Enhancing professional training. Traumatology, 16(4), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1177/1534765610389595Google Scholar
Herman, J. (2015). Trauma and recovery: The aftermath of violence – from domestic abuse to political terror. Basic Books.Google Scholar
Jonson-Reid, M., Drake, B., & Zhou, P. (2013). Neglect subtypes, race, and poverty: Individual, family, and service characteristics. Child Maltreatment, 18(1), 30–41.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lancaster, C. L., Teeters, J. B., Gros, D. F., & Back, S. E. (2016). Posttraumatic stress disorder: Overview of evidence-based assessment and treatment. Journal of Clinical Medicine, 5(11), 105. https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm5110105Google Scholar
Luber, M. (Ed.). (2009). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) scripted protocols: Basics and special situations. Springer.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Menon, S. B., & Jayan, C. (2010). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: A conceptual framework. Indian Journal of Psychological Medicine, 32(2), 136–140. https://doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.78512CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Moses, M. D. (2007). Enhancing attachments: Conjoint couple therapy. In Shapiro, F., Kaslow, F. W., & Maxfield, L. (Eds.), Handbook of EMDR and family therapy processes (pp. 146–166). Wiley.Google Scholar
Motley, R., & Banks, A. (2018). Black males, trauma, and mental health service use: A systematic review. Perspectives on Social Work (Houston), 14(1), 4–19.Google Scholar
Nickerson, M. (Ed.). (2016). Cultural competence and healing culturally based trauma with EMDR therapy: Innovative strategies and protocols. Springer.Google Scholar
Perry, B. D., Colwell, K., & Schick, S. (2002). Neglect in childhood. In Levinson, D. (Ed.), Encyclopedia of crime and punishment: Vol. 1 (pp. 192–196). Sage.Google Scholar
Ridley, C. R. (2005). Overcoming unintentional racism in counseling and therapy: A practitioner’s guide to intentional intervention (2nd ed.). Sage.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Roberts, A. L., Gilman, S. E., Breslau, J., Breslau, N., & Koenen, K. C. (2011). Race/ethnic differences in exposure to traumatic events, development of post-traumatic stress disorder, and treatment-seeking for post-traumatic stress disorder in the United States. Psychological Medicine, 41(1), 71–83. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0033291710000401Google Scholar
Shapiro, F. (1995). Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: Basic principles, protocols, and procedures. Guilford Press.Google Scholar
Shapiro, F. (2002). EMDR 12 years after its introduction: Past and future research. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(1), 1–22.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Shapiro, F. (2014). The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. Permanente Journal, 18(1), 71–77. https://doi.org/10.7812/tpp/13-098Google Scholar
Shapiro, F., & Forrest, M. S. (2016). EMDR: The breakthrough therapy for overcoming anxiety, stress, and trauma. Basic Books.Google Scholar
Smith, S. G., Zhang, X., Basile, K. C., Merrick, M. T., Wang, J., Kresnow, M. J., & Chen, J. (2018). The national intimate partner and sexual violence survey: 2015 data brief – updated release. National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Google Scholar
Trauma Recovery/Humanitarian Assistance Programs. (2020). Research findings. www.emdrhap.org/content/about/research-findings/Google Scholar
Ursano, R. J., Bell, C., Eth, S., Friedman, M., Norwood, A., Pfefferbaum, B., Pynoos, J., D., Zatzick, D. F., Benedek, D. M., McIntyre, J. S., Charles, S. C., Altshuler, K., Cook, I., Cross, C. D., Mellman, L., Moench, L. A., Norquist, G., Twemlow, S. W., Woods, S., Yager, J., & Steering Committee on Practice Guidelines (2004). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. American Journal of Psychiatry, 161(11 Suppl.), 3–31.Google ScholarPubMed
van der Kolk, B. (2000). Posttraumatic stress disorder and the nature of trauma. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 2(1), 7–22.Google Scholar
Wilson, G., Farrell, D., Barron, I., Hutchins, J., Whybrow, D., & Kiernan, M. D. (2018). The use of Eye-Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in treating post-traumatic stress disorder – A systematic narrative review. Frontiers in Psychology, 9, 923. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.00923Google Scholar
World Health Organization (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions that are specifically related to stress. WHO.Google Scholar

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure no-reply@cambridge.org is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×