By Deb Kennard, PTI Founder
At the Personal Transformation Institute (PTI), we’re passionate about sharing the life-changing potential of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. In our most recent free webinar, attended by clinicians across the U.S. and Canada, we explored how EMDR can help clients safely process trauma and build resilience—including how to apply it in couples therapy, one of the most nuanced and powerful areas of EMDR application.
Whether you’re new to EMDR or looking to deepen your skills, this session offered an insightful introduction to the tools and frameworks that guide our approach.
Working with Couples Using EMDR
One of the highlights of the webinar was a deep dive into how EMDR can be adapted for couples work. The speaker emphasized that when partners enter therapy together, they are often stuck in survival defenses—reactive emotional states rooted in early attachment wounds and unresolved trauma.
To address this, the PTI team uses a somatic and attachment-informed approach to EMDR with couples. Four key principles were outlined:
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Awareness of Non-Violence – Encouraging a space of emotional and psychological safety where neither partner escalates conflict or shuts down communication.
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Mindful Awareness – Helping both partners slow down, stay present, and become more attuned to their bodily responses and internal narratives.
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Compassionate Assumption – Viewing each partner’s reactions through a trauma-informed lens, recognizing that behaviors often stem from protective mechanisms rather than malicious intent.
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Healthy Boundaries – Reinforcing structure in sessions so that both individuals feel heard and respected while working through their patterns.
These principles serve as the foundation for working with dyadic trauma—where the relational system itself is impacted by past experiences and emotional injuries.
The speaker also referenced an article titled “EMDR with Couples: A Somatic and Attachment Approach”, recommending it as further reading for clinicians eager to explore this work more deeply.
Why EMDR Works in Relationship Dynamics
As the speaker explained, our attachment patterns often shape our relationships and defenses. When couples come into therapy, their interactions tend to mirror those old survival patterns. EMDR helps by targeting the underlying memories and emotional imprints driving those patterns, allowing each partner to process and respond with greater flexibility, empathy, and emotional regulation.
This method is particularly impactful when couples are stuck in cycles of blame, withdrawal, or emotional volatility. By working with each partner’s nervous system and attachment blueprint, EMDR offers a powerful path toward relational healing.
Want to Learn More?
If you missed this webinar or want to dive deeper into EMDR therapy—whether for individuals or couples—we host these free trainings monthly. They’re an excellent way to explore our teaching style, gain useful clinical tools, and stay up to date on the evolving field of trauma therapy.
👉 Sign up for our next free EMDR webinar
👉 Learn more about EMDR training with PTI