The first chapters establish the author's interests and describe the basic EMDR protocols for work with children. EMDR is seen to be effective for a range of conditions, viewing trauma in its wider perspective as a common development from early upsetting experiences. An accelerated information-processing model is used to illustrate the possible mechanisms of EMDR. Disruptive behaviour is viewed with an impulse control model and its links with ADHD are examined. Essential skills to engage non-communicative children are uniquely illustrated with examples of necessary preliminary work prior to using EMDR.

This text demystifies therapy and makes explicit the introduction of treatment to families. The importance of consistent child-management is explained to parents, keeping the fine balance of illustrating inconsistencies while encouraging their strengths. Rules and limits for therapy, managing parental disagreements and engagement of families are presented. Concepts including "reinforcement" are explained without jargon to clients. Greenwald shows clear skills in communicating essential principles to families with illustrative and inventive metaphors in highly successful formulae. Indeed, this book does not simply present EMDR; it examines the absolute basics of interviewing children and adolescents.

Inventive techniques of engagement are used to entice the patient into eye movements. Gaining street credibility by mastery of small but important elements such as installation of "safety devices" (an advancement on "safe place" for children) are among the well-practised techniques demonstrated. Protocols are obtained conversationally and installations occur almost casually. Positive outcome is methodically assured at the outset. Obtaining negative and positive cognitions by extracting them as elements of a movie make this a jargon-free interaction for the child.

Immediately explicit examples such as "wearing a sign" use a "curiosity killed the cat" principle to entice the reader to follow Greenwald's line of argument. One can imagine an adolescent who, faced with an interesting proposition without quite being able to figure the therapist's angle, has no choice but to become involved. The "early-warning system" begins with "You know how in the movies an attacker can sneak right up to the house, and maybe even inside before anyone ever knows he is there" and illustrates a route into the young psyche. Attention is captivated, eye movements are added, and the first stages of therapy are completed before they notice! Skillful integration of conversation with cognitive-behavioural sequences of treatment and EMDR are neatly combined. Other easy-to-remember illustrations include "tease-proofing" (a form of resource installation?) and the "Who's in charge of you?" dialogue to demonstrate the inadvertent reactivity of us all.

In Part Two, "Technical Repertoire," the standard protocol as applied to children is reviewed in detail. I do not always agree with the terminology, but the message is always clear. Discussions include dilemmas about when to start therapy, how to prevent blocking and use of "safety devices." The collective inventiveness of several clinicians is shared (and always credited) showing ways to encourage eye movements. Protocol components are discussed and expanded. Topics include modalities of bilateral stimulation, the complexity of litigation and potential interaction of EMDR and memory. More metaphors are illustrated including "The Dislocated Finger" and "The Chest of Drawers." I enjoyed the "Stuffed Animal Mode," a projective method of engaging in therapy without overt reference to the identified targets or original trauma. A variation of the safety device uses "Let's make believe it was a dream, what could help?" to overcome impasse due to concrete thinking. Examples then move to the wonderfully surreal "sibing rivalry with an animal" allowing it to interact with a manipulative child.

Part Three, "Special Applications," looks at infants and toddlers. In the "Young Children" section, I found an excellent explanation of the development of magical thinking and the "terrible two's" (coincidentally on page 222 of my copy). Chapter 11 uses bed-wetting as one example in which work with the whole family is necessary to good effect (but I do not agree there should be even minor consequences for bed-wetting, such as washing sheets). The problem of how to explain basic concepts to parents without making them appear inadequate is solved by a demonstration to the child with the parent present. It would be interesting to be a fly on this consulting room wall to observe an interactive demonstration.

Strengths: Excellent ways of engaging non-communicative children and adolescents are illustrated. This book contains essential basics of interview and assessment techniques for any child worker and shows how to progress smoothly into EMDR, introducing clever modifications to the protocol.

Primary Audience: The text is almost equally suitable for EMDR and non-EMDR child-workers due to its excellent ways of engaging difficult or non-communicative families. I highly recommend this book for all practitioners of child disciplines honing their craft and those wishing to gain insight into rapport-building and engagement. Mandatory for my trainees, I also recommend it to seasoned therapists.


Opinion: The text is engaging to read, maintaining your curiosity about what is coming next. It has a direct and open style and is a wonderful amalgam of ideas and techniques. The book is easily forgiven its occasional repetition, as this helps the reader find what he or she needs. This is the book I wish had been written when I was training. It might have prevented some of the grunts and blank stares we occasionally had to observe during interviews. The captivating dialogue baits, leads, baits again, and hooks you inexorably, just as the child would be in therapy. It de-jargonises and demystifies therapy but also shows new angles. EMDR child-protocols are examined in detail with many case examples. This text is especially suitable as a primer for new therapists of any "child" discipline. Detailed interactive, engagement skills and communication basics, are made explicit. Empirically-based techniques of self-control training, rapport, and relationship-building are illustrated using structured choice methods. Dr. Greenwald's experience and enthusiasm for working with a young population shine through. "