Your Client's Resistance Is Telling You Something. Are You Listening?

In this episode of In Conversation with Janina Fisher, Janina sits down with psychologist and EMDR pioneer Deborah Korn for a rich conversation about the evolution of trauma treatment and the delicate art of working with traumatic memory. Known for her thoughtful and compassionate approach to EMDR therapy and for her book Every Memory Deserves Respect, Debbie reflects on the clinical lessons that have shaped her decades of work with trauma survivors.Together, Debbie and Janina Fisher explore what it means to approach traumatic memories with respect, patience, and humility. Debbie shares insights from her experience using EMDR with complex trauma, emphasizing the importance of pacing, preparation, and careful attunement to clients’ nervous systems. Their conversation highlights the ways therapists can support healing while avoiding overwhelm—helping clients process painful experiences without losing a sense of safety or stability.Through personal stories and clinical reflections, Debbie discusses the responsibility therapists carry when guiding clients through trauma work, as well as the importance of curiosity, flexibility, and deep respect for each client’s inner experience. The result is a thoughtful dialogue about how trauma therapy continues to evolve and how clinicians can remain grounded in compassion while doing this powerful work.Key TakeawaysEvery traumatic memory deserves respect. Trauma work requires careful pacing, sensitivity, and deep respect for the protective role memories and symptoms have played in a client’s life.Preparation is essential in trauma treatment. Stabilization, resource-building, and strong therapeutic alliance create the safety needed for effective trauma processing.EMDR can be powerful for complex trauma when used thoughtfully. Skilled clinicians must adapt protocols and pace the work according to the client’s nervous system and capacity.Therapists must balance courage with caution. Trauma processing requires both clinical confidence and humility about the risks of moving too quickly.Attunement guides the work. The therapist’s ability to notice shifts in the client’s body, emotions, and parts of self helps determine when to move forward and when to slow down.Healing unfolds through collaboration. The most effective trauma therapy happens when therapist and client work together with curiosity, respect, and patience.Deborah L.  Korn, PsyD maintains a private practice in Cambridge, MA and is on the training faculty of the Trauma Research Foundation and the EMDR Institute.  Dr. Korn has authored numerous articles and chapters focused on EMDR therapy, including comprehensive reviews of EMDR applications with Complex PTSD. She is an EMDR International Association-approved consultant and is also on the Editorial Board of the Journal of EMDR Practice and Research. She presents and consults internationally on the treatment of adult survivors of childhood abuse and neglect and recently released Every Memory Deserves Respect—a book about EMDR therapy, written for the layperson.   Website:https://www.everymemorydeservesrespect.com/Book:https://www.everymemorydeservesrespect.com/Please promote this program: https://www.cape.org/courses/emdr-therapy-debbie-korn-2026