DNMS Ego State Therapy
What It Is?
DNMS (Developmental Needs Meeting Strategy) treats present-day problems in adults that originated with unmet childhood needs.
DNMS is an ego state therapy designed to treat a wide range of clients, symptoms, and issues. This includes adults with complex trauma wounds, such as those inflicted by verbal, physical, and sexual abuse; and with attachment wounds, such as those inflicted by parental rejection, neglect, and enmeshment.
DNMS is based on the assumption that the degree to which developmental needs were not adequately met is the degree to which a client is stuck in childhood. It starts by guiding clients to establish three internal Resources: a Nurturing Adult Self, a Protective Adult Self, and a Spiritual Core Self.
Together these Resources gently help wounded child ego states get unstuck from the past by meeting their unmet developmental needs, helping them process through painful emotions, and by establishing an emotional bond.
Alternating bilateral stimulation (used in EMDR therapy) is applied at key points in the process. Clients report unwanted behaviors, beliefs, and emotions diminish after completing this therapy. Clients also report depression lifting, anxiety subsiding and an increase in self-esteem as well as negative self-talk disappearing.
What DNMS Treats
- • Elimination of chronic depressive disorders
- • Lessening or complete elimination of OCD behaviors
- • Reduction or elimination of anxiety including panic attacks and phobias
- • Complicated grief
- • Eating disorders
- • Desensitizing emotional triggers that lead to relapse in addictions
- • Dissociative disorders
- • Relationship problems
- • Complex trauma wounds, such as those inflicted by verbal, physical, and sexual abuse
- • Attachment wounds, such as those inflicted by parental rejection, neglect, and enmeshment
- • Those struggling with never having felt understood
- • Those who need affirmation
- • Those who cannot turn off the inner "tapes" of hostile caretakers
- • Those who are codependent
DNMS Endorsements from Therapists
DNMS has been a cure for my clients who have tried everything to lift their depression. It truly has been a miracle in their lives. DNMS has helped my dissociative clients integrate their ego states in a gentle safe way where they always feel in control of their therapy. It has eliminated panic attacks completely in my clients with Panic Disorder. It has given hope to many of my clients who have tried everything else. I use it successfully for clients who dissociate too easily to be successful with EMDR and to stop the negative tapes that play in client’s heads from caregivers, abusers, or people of influence in their life.
KAREN GARDNER, LCSW Private Practice, Provo, Utah
DNMS has been a most valuable tool! Clients have walked into my office with symptoms of chronic pain, fatigue, fibromyalgia, dissatisfaction with themselves, their jobs and their relationships. After just a few months using the DNMS protocols, they are energized – feeling connected in the moment. If there could ever be a therapy that allows someone to 'have a happy childhood today', it is DNMS."
JESSICA BOLLINGER, LCSW, Private Practice, Lexington, Kentucky
"At last - a way to help clients actually, literally, heal from early childhood wounds. DNMS has transformed my practice. My clients are experiencing profound and lasting change at levels deeper than I would have believed possible. "
LYNN FOERSTER, PhD, Private Practice, Westlake Village, California
DNMS Endorsements from Clients
"I never felt comfortable being alone. I always had to have someone with me, someone who loved me and cared about me. When, the relationship would inevitably fall apart, I would fall apart and become very depressed, very angry. I’d usually go running into another relationship in order to avoid being alone. Now, while I enjoy the company, affection and warmth (and everything else) one gets from being close to someone, I do not feel incomplete without it. I do
not feel desperate for affection and love. I do not want to be “taken care of”. I am now looking for a partner, who fits a list of very specific traits and characteristics."
"I used to feel a very strong need to please my parents – even as an adult. Now, I do what I know is best for me, what I feel strongly about and don’t care if it pleases or displeases them."
"The negative tapes are no longer playing in my head causing my depressive symptoms. It’s unbelievable the peace in my mind and the confidence I now have."
Information gathered from the DNMS website here