Research into IADC Therapy

IADC therapy has enormous potential to help grieving people all over the world. It truly harnesses the power of EMDR but in a new way that can have very rapid and lasting effects on sadness. It also predisposes clients to having after death communications, which can provide further healing and a sense of reconnection with the deceased. This is consistent with the ‘continuing bonds’ theory of grief, which suggests it is more healthy and helpful to remain connected in some way to the person who died.

However, until the publication of Dr Allan Botkin’s book, and the subsequent feature film Life with Ghosts by Stephen Berkley, IADC therapy was a very new and obscure approach, not widely known by therapists and researchers.

The first controlled trial of IADC Therapy was conducted by Professor Jan Holden and colleagues at the University of North Texas. It examined IADC Therapy in comparison to traditional grief counselling, with several favourable outcomes for IADC Therapy. This paper has now been published in Grief Matters: The Australian Journal of Grief and Bereavement.

Dr Tom Nehmy, Director of Healing Grief International and Principal Psychologist at healinggriefwithiadc.com has conducted a research study through the School of Psychology at the University of Adelaide. 

Tom says: “The healing potential of IADC Therapy is such that it demands further research attention. I am interested in seeing if we can replicate some of the promising early evidence and bring this important treatment option into the mainstream.”

The study has now been completed, and has just been published 'open access' in the leading international peer-reviewed journal OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying.

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You may download the article here → 

 

The full citation is: Nehmy, T.J., Daniels, J., Williamson, P., Stegall-Rodriguez, S. E., St Germain-Sehr, N.R. (2026) Efficacy of Induced After Death Communication Therapy for Grief: A Single-Group Wait-List Controlled Trial. OMEGA - Journal of Death and Dying. 0, (0), 1-17.

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Summary of Findings

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This Adelaide University study represents a significant contribution to the scientific literature pertaining to IADC therapy in particular, and grief therapy in general.

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With 43 participants completing the trial, here is a summary of the study:

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• All participants provided baseline control data - their grief symptoms, sadness, and depression scores (among other variables) were assessed at Time 1, and then one month later (immediately prior to their IADC therapy). Participant scores on these measures did not significantly change from Time to Time 2, indicating their grief symptoms, etc, were stable.

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• Participants completed 2 x 90-minute IADC therapy sessions, either online or in-person, on consecutive days.

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• Participants were assessed immediately after their second session to assess the occurrence of an ADC, and other immediate feedback on their experience of the therapy.

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• Participants were then assessed one month after their IADC therapy, at which time we observed:

  • Very large reductions in their grief symptoms and sadness compared to baseline.

  • Depressions scores were reduced to a large degree as well.

  • 79% of participants reported an ADC.

  • The acceptability of the therapy was extremely high

  • ADCs were associated with higher 'continuing presence' at 1-month follow-up

  • The perceived presence of the deceased was associated with sadness at pre-treatment, but not at follow-up

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I am particularly indebted to John Daniels, clinical psychologist, for his contribution as a therapist on this study. John sees clients for IADC therapy on the Gold Coast, QLD, Australia.

Dr Tom Nehmy has presented his IADC Therapy research at the International Association of Near Death Studies (IANDS) annual conference in Chicago - August 27th - 31st 2025.  

While this research study is now completed, you may still book in for paid IADC Therapy sessions. Find out if IADC Therapy is right for you by taking our pre-screening questionnaire. If you pass prescreening, you will be provided with the opportunity to book a 25-minute no obligation screening interview, at no cost.