Some clients come to therapy having tried everything. They have completed CBT programs, attended 12-step meetings, and worked through motivational interviewing, yet still find themselves caught in the same addiction cycle. For many of them, the problem is not a lack of effort. It is that the triggers driving the urge have never been fully addressed or reprocessed.
EMDR therapy for addiction is changing how clinicians approach this challenge. At the center of that shift is the DeTUR Protocol, a specialized, AIP-based approach designed specifically to target urges and the triggers behind them. Read on to understand what DeTUR is, how it works clinically, and why it is gaining serious traction among trauma-informed addiction treatment providers.
Conventional approaches to addiction, CBT, motivational interviewing, and 12-step programs have genuine clinical value. But they share a common limitation: they address behavior and cognition without reaching the underlying trauma that is often driving the urge.
Urges and cravings are not simply bad habits. For many clients, they are the nervous system's response to unprocessed trauma. When that trauma is addressed in symptom focused modalities, the short term gains may not be sustained. Relapse rates remain high precisely because the root cause stays untouched. Trauma informed treatment for addiction may help clients maintain permanent changes and live healthier, more adaptive lives
DeTUR stands for Desensitization of Triggers and Urge Reprocessing. It was developed by Dr. A.J. Popky, a pioneer in EMDR therapy. This adaptation of EMDR therapy is grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) Model that underpins all EMDR work.
What makes the DeTUR Protocol distinct is its focus. Rather than targeting a traumatic memory as standard EMDR therapy does, DeTUR targets the urge itself, the physical and emotional pull toward the addictive behavior. The protocol applies across a wide range of behaviors: substance use, alcohol, gambling, eating disorders, compulsive sexual behavior, and other dysfunctional patterns. It is EMDR therapy by framework, but addiction-specific in its application.
DeTUR works within EMDR therapy’s established eight-phase structure and follows a clear clinical sequence:
At every step, the AIP Model guides the work. The goal is to reprocess the dysfunctional emotional material driving the urge rather than simply suppress the behavior on the surface.
The Standard Protocol of EMDR therapy, targets past traumatic memories as the root of current symptoms. DeTUR works forward, leading with the urge and a positive future goal rather than a past memory.
This distinction matters clinically. For clients in active addiction or early recovery who are not yet sober, in recovery, or stable enough to process trauma directly, DeTUR offers a viable entry point. It functions as a bridge, reducing the charge around the urge while the client builds the stability needed for deeper trauma reprocessing later.
DeTUR is suited for a broad range of clients:
A note of caution: Clients presenting with severe dissociation, active psychosis, or significant instability will likely require stabilization work before DeTUR is clinically appropriate.
Clinicians are increasingly drawn to the DeTUR Protocol for practical reasons:
DeTUR is an advanced EMDR addiction protocol, and completion of EMDR Basic Training is a prerequisite. Advanced training covers the AIP theoretical foundation, case conceptualization, protocol steps, and practicum application through case examples.
EMDR Professional Training offers both live and OnDemand DeTUR training options, with EMDRIA credits available and CEs to satisfy requirements of professional licensing boards, making it accessible whether you learn best in a cohort setting or on your own schedule.
Important Note: EMDR Professional Training is the only authorized training organization to offer DeTUR training. DeTUR is copyright protected by the family of Dr. AJ Popky. If you see DeTUR offered by another organization, it is an unauthorized training.
If your clients are struggling with addiction and your current toolkit is not getting them unstuck, DeTUR may be the next step. At EMDR Professional Training, we offer live and OnDemand DeTUR training with CE credits approved through EMDRIA and professional licensing boards, so you can add this protocol to your practice without disrupting your clinical schedule. Contact us today to learn more.
DeTUR (Desensitization of Triggers and Urge Reprocessing) is a specialized EMDR addiction protocol that targets the urge and its triggers rather than past traumatic memories, making it particularly effective for clients in active addiction or early recovery.
Yes, DeTUR applies to a broad range of addictive and maladaptive behaviors beyond substance use, including gambling, compulsive eating, pornography use, and other dysfunctional and compulsive patterns.
Yes, EMDR Basic Training is a prerequisite for DeTUR training, as it is an advanced protocol built on the EMDR framework and the Adaptive Information Processing Model.
Session counts vary based on the client's complexity and number of triggers, but many clients report a noticeable reduction in urge intensity within the early sessions of treatment.
DeTUR has a growing body of clinical research and case support, and it is recognized within the EMDR community as an EMDRIA-consistent advanced protocol developed by Dr. A.J. Popky.
