Rolling Out the Red Carpet

JENNIFER JOHNSTON, LCSWR

Consultation Facilitator

Jennifer “Jenn” Johnston, LCSWR is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant-in-Training (CIT). Jenn is a seasoned clinical social worker who has found her passion in working with first responders and military members in her practice in western New York.

Jenn has training and experience in working with adults and children challenged with depression, mood disorders, trauma, grief, anxiety, ADHD, and psychosis. She is also trained in using EMDR in recent, critical events (RTEP), intensive EMDR, groups (GTEP), and in integrating EMDR with Internal Family Systems. She is dedicated to doing research with first responders to help further the delivery of evidence-based EMDR interventions with this population.

Jenn enjoys teaching and mentoring other therapists in supervision and consultation, and appreciates the synergy of shared knowledge and collaboration.

To learn more about Jenn’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit https://calmseapsyc.com/team/jenn-johnston/.

BARBARA BARRY, LMFT

Consultation Facilitator

Barbara Barry, LMFT is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDR Consultant-In-Training (CIT). She has been in private practice since 2015 in Palm Springs, California, where, as the only therapist in her area to welcome Medi-Cal clients, Barbara works with adults in underserved communities.

As it is her strong belief that both mental and physical wellness are the keys to achieving a fulfilling life, Barbara’s practice of wellness-based therapy takes an integrated approach, utilizing EMDR therapy coupled with the pillars of wellness: sleep, exercise, and food patterns.

Early in her EMDR career, Barbara founded the Palm Springs EMDR Consultation Group for local therapists wanting to enhance skills and discuss cases. Barbara is passionate about EMDR and enjoys working with clinicians interested in becoming skilled EMDR therapists.

To learn more about Barbara’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit https://welllnessbasedtherapy.com.

RACHEAL RHOADES, LMFT

Consultation Facilitator

Racheal Rhoades, LMFT is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. Racheal has been licensed and practicing in California since 2006. She currently runs a telehealth-based private practice, where she specializes in utilizing EMDR Therapy to treat veterans and first responders. Racheal is trained in using EMDR in recent, critical events (RTEP) and with groups (GTEP).

Racheal enjoys teaching and mentoring other therapists in consultation.

To learn more about Racheal’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit www.socaltherapyworks.org.

JENNY WATT, RCC

Consultation Facilitator

Jenny Watt, RCC is an EMDRIA Approved Consultant and a Certified EMDR Therapist who has been in private practice since 2012 in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jenny is the founder of the EMDR Therapy Group, where she provides consultation to EMDR-trained therapists, supervises master’s level practicum students, and works with clients who desire to heal from painful experiences.

Prior to private practice, Jenny worked with marginalized children and families in non-profit settings, where she discovered the importance of trauma and resiliency-informed practice, and became dedicated to trauma work.

Jenny is excited to be a Consultation Facilitator with EMDR Education and Training Center and share her passion in supporting therapists become confident and skilled EMDR therapists.

To learn more about Jenny’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit https://emdrbc.com/about-jenny-watt.

LUZ ROBLES, PsyD

Consultation Facilitator

Luz Robles, PsyD, LCSW is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and Licensed Clinical Social Worker practicing in California and Nevada. She is the founder of Lucero Wellbeing, a group practice providing trauma-informed therapy, EMDR, and comprehensive psychological and neuropsychological assessment services. She is an EMDRIA-Certified Clinician and Consultant-in-Training.

Luz specializes in working with first responders, service members, and both children and adults navigating trauma, anxiety, and complex life experiences, with a strong emphasis on culturally responsive care for Spanish-speaking and underserved communities. She integrates EMDR Therapy with CBT and attachment-informed approaches, and has advanced training in complex and developmental trauma.

Her background includes training in Clinical Rehabilitation Psychology, clinical research and she also she also serves as an adjunct professor at Pepperdine University, where she teaches graduate and doctoral-level courses and mentors developing clinicians.

To learn more about Luz Robles’ professional background and services, please visit www.lucerowellbeing.com.

JANE BASSATT-WINCHELL, LCSW

Consultation Facilitator

Jane Bassatt-Winchell, LCSW, is a Certified EMDR Therapist and EMDRIA Approved Consultant. As a clinician, Jane has worked with clients of many backgrounds: youth and their families involved with the juvenile justice system, addiction, and with unhoused veterans.

Jane currently serves as the Clinic Coordinator for the outpatient PTSD clinic for the Veterans Administration in San Jose, California, where she has earned certification in Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Processing Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, as well as Exposure Relaxation and Rescription Therapy for Nightmares. Jane has completed level-1 training for Internal Family Systems Therapy. Jane also has a private practice where she predominantly sees clients who have experienced trauma.

To learn more about Jane’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit janewinchell.com.

CHRISTINA NARENSKY, PSYD

Consultation Facilitator

Christina Narensky, PsyD is a licensed Clinical Psychologist and an EMDRIA Approved Consultant. She has a private practice in Alameda, California, where she provides consultation to EMDR-trained therapists, and offers trauma-informed care for a variety of clinical concerns.

Utilizing EMDR Therapy and IFS-informed EMDR, Christina works with adults and adolescents navigating difficult transitions, challenging behaviors, complex trauma, and trauma-related dissociation. Her work incorporates psychedelic assisted psychotherapy, Internal Family Systems Therapy (IFS), Memory Reconsolidation Therapy, and attachment-informed approaches to healing.

Christina has a background in clinical supervision, graduate level instruction, community mental health, school-based counseling, family therapy, and juvenile justice. She is a parent to people and pets, a partner, and an avid science fiction and fantasy fan.

To learn more about Christina’s professional background and services, including therapy and consultation, please visit www.drchristinanarensky.com.

Dena Robertson Blackford, LMFT

Consultation Facilitator

Dena Robertson Blackford, LMFT is a Certified EMDR Therapist, EMDRIA Approved Consultant, Practicum Supervisor at Sonoma Psychotherapy Institute, and an EMDRIA Approved Virtual Trainer in EMDR Therapy.

Dena was trained in EMDR in 2013, and has been in private practice in El Dorado Hills, California since that time. Dena specializes in treating adults with anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress.

To learn more about Dena’s professional background and services, please visit https://www.denarobertsonblackford.com/.

So many clients come to therapy having lived long lives filled with adverse experiences and trauma. They often have complex histories and struggle with intense and disruptive ongoing symptoms.

During history taking, the task of creating a target list for these individuals may feel daunting to both therapist and client alike. Not only might it take a lot of time to document all of the disturbing experiences over the client’s lifetime, you may also have a strong sense that the work of creating such an extensive target list will prove overwhelming to the client.

While we don’t want target list creation to feel like cruel and unusual punishment, we do want to work in an organized and thorough manner — especially with our more complex clients. The more organized and thorough we are in this work, the greater the symptom relief they will experience.

One way to navigate this situation is to practice a technique I call ‘rolling out the red carpet’. I use it with clients who:1) meet readiness criteria for reprocessing and 2) would benefit from starting EMDR reprocessing sooner than later.

Rolling out the red carpet

Imagine a runway carpet that represents the client’s target list, but all rolled up and not yet fully revealed. Rather than rolling the entire red carpet out — which, in this metaphor, would involve writing out the entire target list — we roll out the carpet in sections.

Walking the red carpet

Once the first section of the carpet is rolled out, you can begin walking the red carpet, which is code for reprocessing the memories on the rolled out (documented) portion of the target list.

To use the rolling out the red carpet technique follow these steps:

1 – Take a thorough history of the client.

2 – Integrate preparation phase activities into the initial sessions.

3 – Identify the memory network to address in reprocessing. If the client has more than one memory network, collaborate with them to decide which one to work with first.

4 – Begin rolling out the red carpet by creating the initial section of the target list, pausing at the first natural stopping point.

- The first section includes the earliest memories on the client’s target list. How much you and client decide to roll out depends on the natural transition points in the client’s history.
- We all have natural transitions in our lives, and you can use these as pausing points when creating the red carpet target list with your client.
- Examples of natural transition points include: childhood and adolescence while living in the family home; experiences in country of origin before immigrating at age 6; childhood memories while parents were still married; early events prior to the start of the sexual abuse; early childhood memories while living in Alaska.

5 – Begin walking the red carpet by reprocessing, in chronological order, all of the disturbing memories in this first section of the target list.

6 – Repeat the process of rolling out sections of the carpet and walking to the end until you have successfully reprocessed all disturbing memories on the client’s target list. In many cases, you won’t have to reprocess all memories on the list, as later occurring events may become less distressing when earlier traumas are resolved with EMDR.

A few words of advice

Before using this technique, first consider if it’s truly necessary. Just because a client has a complex trauma history, doesn’t automatically imply that they cannot tolerate the work of collaborating with you to create a complete target list.

Another important consideration is readiness for reprocessing. Only use the red carpet technique if the client meets readiness criteria and would benefit from reprocessing their earliest memories sooner than later. Sometimes this is, indeed, the case. Other times, our complex clients benefit from an extended process of slow-and-steady history taking, combined with preparation phase activities to build readiness.

Have questions or thoughts — we’d love to hear from you! And feel free to share this post with others who may benefit.

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JENNIFER JOHNSTON, LCSWR

BARBARA BARRY, LMFT

RACHEAL RHOADES, LMFT

JENNY WATT, RCC

LUZ ROBLES, PsyD

JANE BASSATT-WINCHELL, LCSW

CHRISTINA NARENSKY, PSYD

Dena Robertson Blackford, LMFT

A few words of advice

Get in touch!

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