EMDR, Dissociation, and Catholic Integration with Jennifer Madere

In this episode, Dr. Gerry Crete speaks with Jennifer Madere about how trauma treatment, Catholic anthropology, and nervous system regulation fit together in real clinical work. They focus on EMDR, dissociation, ego state therapy, and how healing can happen without bypassing the body or the complexity of suffering. Jennifer also shares insights from her book, EMDR, Dissociation and Beyond, and discusses why safety and stabilization are not preliminaries, but essential parts of healing.

Key Topics

• They discuss why the Catholic faith can deepen trauma work by helping clinicians stay grounded in suffering while still making room for meaning, purpose, and hope.
• Jennifer describes EMDR as a way of helping the brain digest experiences it could not process when they first happened.
• Gerry and Jennifer talk about the importance of avoiding spiritual bypassing while still allowing faith to support healing in a genuine, integrated way.
• Jennifer explains why ego state therapy is useful for dissociation and complex trauma, especially when working with internal parts and movements that emerged from profound injury.
• They define dissociation as a disconnection or fragmentation in human experience that can be a protective adaptation, especially in childhood or overwhelming situations.
• The conversation distinguishes between single-incident trauma and complex relational trauma, including why events like shootings can carry an existential layer beyond the immediate event.
• They explore the importance of somatic healing, with both speakers affirming that healing often requires attention to body, mind, and spirit together.

Elijah Institute

Post Traumatic Growth with Dr. Gerry Crete is presented by the Elijah Institute. Find out more about Elijah Institute’s nationally approved, continuing education courses in spiritually integrated whole person care at elijah-institute.org.

The book EMDR, Dissociation, and Beyond, Reexamining and Expanding the Frame for Impactful Trauma Treatment by Jennifer Madere and Michael Coy can be found here:

https://www.routledge.com/EMDR-Dissociation-and-Beyond-Reexamining-and-Expanding-the-Frame-for-Impactful-Trauma-Treatment/Madere-Coy/p/book/9781032712352

This podcast provides education, not treatment. It does not replace therapy, diagnosis or professional care. If you are in crisis:

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