Emotional Protection Team (EPT) Training Manual ©

By Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero, Kelly Smyth-Dent and Amalia Osorio

Copyright (2017-2020) by AMAMECRISIS and Scaling Up, LLC

December 6, 2019

Requirements for the Emotional Protection Team (EPT):

The Team Leader must be an EMDR trained therapist who is also formally trained
in the EMDR-IGTP-OTS.
The group requires 1 EPT member for every 10 adults in the group (or 1 EPT
member for every 5 children in the group). These EPT members can be EMDR
therapists or a specially trained professional (e.g., a therapist not trained in EMDR,
social worker, nurse, first responder) depending on the resources available at the
time. Please ensure that the leader properly trains the EPT team in advance using
this manual.
Ha e he men ali and a i de of a beginner (an appren ice) and no a kno -it-
all.

Preparation of materials for the application of the EMDR-IGTP-OTS:

Disposable Tissue boxes (1 box per 10 participants).
Trash cans with plastic bags and without lids (1 trash can for every 10 participants).
Blank, white paper - can be blank or already prepared with the proper outlining (2
per person per application).
Packages with 6 different colored crayons, tied with rubber bands (including some
dark crayons, such as black and blue). We recommend using crayons, instead of
colored pencils or markers.
Enlargements of SUDS measures and a sample of the sheets of paper division in
quadrants for adults (normal scheme) and for children with 3 different colored, little
faces or flipchart sheets/blackboard with markers/eraser to draw the scale of
SUDS and how to divide the sections. Use masking tape or magnets to stick the
flipchart sheets.
Water bottles for all participants and the team. Bring small water bottles and
orange juices for 10% of group participants who may require individual attention.
Large yellow envelopes to store the drawings of the participants.
Printed group protocol and a clipboard to support it (while you are standing at the
front of the room).
Light lunch and water for the team.
Pens in case you need to fill in the measuring instruments.
Toilet paper rolls, paper towels, wet wipes and antibacterial gel for the team.
Labels and markers (to write the names of participants).
A bell or instrument to call participants after the break between applications.

Clothing and Arrangements:

Avoid bright and eye-catching colored clothing (unless culturally appropriate to
wear bright colors). Avoid red color when working with cancer patients (because it
can be a trigger for the chemotherapy).
Simple and casual arrangement with loose clothing (not tightly fitted pants).
Comfortable shoes.

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 Emotional Protection Team (EPT) Training Manual ©
By Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero, Kelly Smyth-Dent and Amalia Osorio
Copyright (2017-2020) by AMAMECRISIS and Scaling Up, LLC

Preparing the work site before the participants arrive:

There are chairs and tables (placed in horseshoe or school type) or clipboards to
support the paper in which they will draw.
Sufficient space between chairs and/or tables so the EPT can circulate freely and
easily support participants.
Allocate a space to cater to the participants who require the individual protocol. In
this space, there must be two chairs placed diagonally from each other, like boats
that are passing each other (the one for the participant must be facing the wall),
Kleenex, trash cans and juice.
NOTE: In some countries, like the United States, participants may have food
allergies or specific preferences. It is important to be sensitive to these needs and
ask about it in the registration process. For example, some participants need
vegetarian, gluten free or vegan options.

Beginning Ritual with the EPT:

From this moment on turn off the cell phones.
This ritual is directed by the protocol leader with all EPT in a circle.
Become aware (or be reminded) that the participants are going to find painful
feelings and areas of their life, foreign to us, knowing that the EPT should not
involve themselves. The attention must be focused on supporting and
accompanying the participants, trusting that such support will strengthen the
participants to cope with the pain that they are living (adequate emotional
distance).
Grounding exercises (planting feet), to become well regulated by taking 3 deep
breaths (with eyes closed) and to sit upright and take this posture throughout the
day.
Remember o ha e floa ing a en ion ( i h my attention in the present, with my
attention moving between myself and others). In this floating attention, be mindful
of oneself: if a participant is hunched over, planting or straightening their feet, or if
they feel any disturbing sensation, take a few minutes (advise some other EPT
members, to re-regulate themselves and not walk disturbed or anxious between
the participants). Create a mutual care connection between the EPT.
Let each EPT member say how they feel, breathe deeply. The concept of
beginner's mind and floating attention is explained to the EPT team. Remember
the posture for field work with loose arms behind back, legs slightly open and knees
a little bent.
Ask the ego states that are needed for the field work if they are present (therapist,
facilitator) and to communicate to the other states of the ego (child, teenager,
mom/dad) who are protected in the safe house.

Important Awareness
Be open to what is present and o flo i h ha happen ( Beginner' Mind ) a o he
number of people who will arrive, their distribution (one or several groups, ages), the

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 Emotional Protection Team (EPT) Training Manual ©
By Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero, Kelly Smyth-Dent and Amalia Osorio
Copyright (2017-2020) by AMAMECRISIS and Scaling Up, LLC

physical place, the environmental conditions and the number of applications that will be
made either in one day or on consecutive days.

NOTE: Do not mix different age groups. For example: little children with older children, or
older children with adolescents. Or very old adults with young adults.

Division of functions for the EPT members:

Emphasize to the EPT the importance of being in frequent visual contact with the
leader.
Reception and registration.
Pass out the blank paper and crayons to participants.
Accommodation of the participants.
Assigning places for the EPT members.
Pass out the tissues and trash cans to participants as needed.
Explanation of the OK signal.
Individual support (if any of the participants require it).
Take pictures (from far away, without focusing the faces).
Collect, sort and save on the envelope the participant drawings.

Reception and Registration

The EPT must arrive at the location before the participants and be welcoming in a
personal way as participants arrive. EPT should interact with the participants to build a
comfortable and emotionally safe rapport. Keep track of participants (if possible).

APPLICATION OF THE EMDR-IGTP-OTS

Phase 1 History
If possible, obtain the clinical history and application of instruments before the group work.

Phase 2 Preparation
Presentation / introduction of the leader.
Presentation / introduction of the EPT members.
Explanation of the analogy of digestion.
Application of measuring instruments depending on the type of work required (e.g.
research). This can also be completed before the EMDR-IGTP-OTS intervention
begins.
Teaching exercises of grounding and self-regulation (the leader explains the EPT
is demonstrating regulation and assisting those who need it).
Teach the Butterfly Hug (the leader explains the EPT is showing and assisting
those who need it).
Explanation of SUDS using the whiteboard or the flipchart.
Distribute the blank paper and crayons (per table or participant).

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 Emotional Protection Team (EPT) Training Manual ©
By Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero, Kelly Smyth-Dent and Amalia Osorio
Copyright (2017-2020) by AMAMECRISIS and Scaling Up, LLC

Demonstration of the filling out both sides of the blank paper - showing some sheets
already made to teach the participants - (EPT supervises and supports the participants
to do it correctly).
Name, age, date and moment of the application (morning, afternoon, evening) in
the upper left-hand corner.
Fold the paper and turn it over.
Trace the cross (from the blank side of the paper) with dark colored crayon.
Number the quadrants in the upper-left corner of each section (A, B, C, D).

Phase 3 Evaluation
For each quadrant the EPT will:
Make the OK signal to the leader (ex: thumps up) when 90% of the participants
have finished their drawing.
Make the OK signal to the leader (ex: thumps up) when 90% of the participants
have written their SUDS.

Phase 4 Desensitization
For each quadrant the EPT will:
Demonstrate the Butterfly Hug (BH) and make the OK signal to the leader when
90% of the participants are finished.
Make the OK signal to the leader when 90% have done the drawing in the next
quadrant.
NOTE: If omeone fall a leep d ring he BH, don ake hem p. The clien
AIP is continuing to process during this time. Notice how the client will stay asleep
for a few seconds or a few minutes. They will naturally wake up on their own when
their brain has finished processing and then they will continue with the group.

When the four quadrants are complete/full, the EPT will:

Make the OK signal to the leader when 90% have seen all the drawings, flipped
the sheet over and have written the SUD number 5 (the disturbance of this moment
in the upper right corner of the paper).

Phase 5 Future Vision

The EPT will:
Make the OK signal to the leader when 90% have drawn on the entire sheet how
they see themselves in the future and have written the title of the drawing.
Demonstrate the Butterfly Hug and make the OK signal to the leader when the
90% is finished.
Collect the sheets (keep them in the yellow envelope with the appropriate label)
and the crayons.
If a participant has continued concerns and dysregulation, support him/her
privately and notify the leader.

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 Emotional Protection Team (EPT) Training Manual ©
By Ignacio (Nacho) Jarero, Kelly Smyth-Dent and Amalia Osorio
Copyright (2017-2020) by AMAMECRISIS and Scaling Up, LLC

Phase 6 Body Scan

Demonstrate the Butterfly Hug and make the OK signal to the leader when 90% of
the participants have finished.

Phase 7 Closure
Support the participants as needed during the stabilization exercises.
Tell the group participants that if they feel they need continued support, they can
stay afterwards and receive one-on-one individual support from the leader or an
EPT members. During the one-on-one support, we recommend the appropriate
therapist(s) provide the ASSYST-Individual to those who need it.
We typically find that about 10% of people in the group need additional one-on-
one intervention after the group is complete.

Phase 8 Re-evaluation
Create feedback space between the EPT members and the leader.
In the following applications provide support during the stabilization exercises.
At the end of all group protocol applications, group together the completed
drawings by each participant, from the first to the last application with the name
ahead and staple them together.
Save the work material.

Say goodbye to each participant one by one and thank them for their participation.

Closing Ritual for Leader and EPT

Invite each member of the EPT to express THEIR FEELINGS, in the form talking,
dancing or singing.
Breathe deeply together.
Give back what is not yours to process and heal.
Thank the ego states that were present and call those who are required.
Tell e er one ee o la er.