An Introuction
Grief often leaves us with haunting questions: Are they at peace? Do they know how much we loved them? Did we say everything we needed to say? For many people, these unanswered questions compound the sadness of loss, creating grief that feels impossible to resolve. Induced After-Death Communication (IADC) therapy offers a distinctive approach to healing this profound sadness—one that has gained recognition in clinical psychology and bereavement research over the past three decades.
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IADC therapy was discovered in 1995 by Dr. Allan L. Botkin, a clinical psychologist working with combat veterans at the Chicago Veterans Administration Hospital. While using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)—an evidence-based trauma treatment—Dr. Botkin modified the protocol to focus specifically on core sadness. During one session, a veteran who had carried overwhelming grief for 28 years spontaneously reported a vivid, emotionally powerful vision of the person he was grieving. In this experience, she communicated that she was at peace. This single moment accomplished what years of traditional therapy had not, allowing him to finally release his grief. Since that accidental discovery, Dr. Botkin refined the IADC protocol and has successfully used it with thousands of clients.
The Research & Supporting Evidence
IADC therapy has been subjected to rigorous clinical research. A controlled study at the University of North Texas found that participants who underwent IADC therapy showed significantly greater improvement in grief symptoms compared to those who received conventional grief counseling, with 40% of the variance in symptom improvement attributed to the IADC intervention itself.
Research published in 2024 comparing IADC therapy with standard grief interventions found that IADC led to significantly greater reductions in grief intensity both immediately after treatment and at six-month follow-up. Participants in the IADC group showed more pronounced decreases in distress symptoms, reported higher therapeutic satisfaction, and exhibited significantly greater increases in "continuing bonds"—a healthy, adaptive sense of ongoing connection with the deceased that supports healing.
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A 2013 study involving 71 clients found that 79% reported experiencing an after-death communication during treatment. Participants showed statistically significant improvements in grief symptoms, decreased depression and anger, improved positive coping strategies, and increased belief in an afterlife—regardless of prior spiritual or religious beliefs. These improvements were sustained at six-month follow-up, suggesting genuine therapeutic transformation rather than temporary relief.
What After-Death Communications Actually Are
The term "after-death communication" (ADC) refers to the spontaneous experience of perceiving the presence of a deceased loved one. These experiences are far more common than many people realize. Research across 35 studies involving over 50,000 people in 24 countries has revealed that between 40% and 70% of bereaved adults report having experienced some form of ADC. For widows specifically, that figure rises to 70-80%. These communications can involve any of the senses—seeing, hearing, feeling a touch, smelling a familiar scent, or simply sensing a loving presence. Importantly, ADCs are reported across all cultures, belief systems, and time periods; they appear to be a naturally occurring aspect of human grief experience.
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What IADC therapy does is create the psychological conditions under which these spontaneous experiences are more likely to occur. The therapy doesn't "force" or "manufacture" an ADC—such experiences retain their essential quality of spontaneity and authenticity. Rather, by systematically reducing the intense sadness and emotional distress that often dominates the grief experience, IADC helps clients enter a state of calm receptivity where natural ADC experiences can emerge.
How IADC Sessions Work
IADC therapy is remarkably brief and focused compared to traditional grief counseling. The complete protocol typically involves just two 90-minute sessions, usually conducted on consecutive days. This brevity is one of the therapy's most striking features—transformative healing can occur in a matter of hours rather than months or years. The total cost for both days is $450, these sessions are billable through your insurance provider. We offer direct billing for most insurers (the exception is SunLife), however coverage per session varies and is based on your plan. In instances where direct billing is not possible, your invoice will allow you to submit for coverage with your insurer.
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The first phase of an IADC session involves the therapist helping you identify and articulate the most distressing aspect of your grief. This might be guilt over things left unsaid, regret about how the relationship ended, worry about whether your loved one is at peace, or simply the overwhelming sadness of their absence. The therapist will ask you to describe your loved one's personality, the nature of your relationship, and the circumstances surrounding their death. You'll rate the intensity of your grief-related distress on a scale from 1 to 10.
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Then begins the core therapeutic work, which uses a modified version of EMDR's bilateral stimulation technique. You'll be asked to focus on the most painful aspect of your grief while following the therapist's hand movements with your eyes, or sometimes while experiencing alternating tactile or auditory stimulation. This bilateral stimulation—engaging both hemispheres of the brain in a rhythmic pattern—appears to facilitate the processing and integration of traumatic memories and overwhelming emotions. Unlike standard EMDR, however, the IADC protocol is specifically designed to target and resolve the core sadness of grief.
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As the bilateral stimulation continues, many clients report that the intensity of their sadness begins to diminish. Painful memories become less emotionally overwhelming. Guilt and regret soften. In their place emerges a state that therapists describe as calm, open, and receptive—almost meditative in quality. It is in this state that most clients (approximately 75% overall, and as high as 98% among those with post-traumatic stress disorder) spontaneously experience what they perceive as communication with their deceased loved one.
What You Might Experience
The ADC experiences that occur during IADC sessions are deeply personal and vary widely from person to person. Some clients report vivid visual experiences—seeing their loved one appearing healthy, peaceful, and radiating love. Others hear their loved one's voice offering reassurance, forgiveness, or messages they needed to hear. Many experience a profound sense of presence, a feeling of being embraced or touched, or simply knowing with absolute certainty that their loved one is okay and that the love between them continues.
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These experiences typically last anywhere from a few seconds to fifteen minutes, though most fall in the 5-20 second range. What clients consistently report is that the experience feels completely real—not like a dream, fantasy, or hallucination, but like genuine contact. The deceased loved one, not the client or therapist, appears to direct the experience. Clients often receive information, insights, or perspectives they hadn't previously considered. Unresolved issues in the relationship frequently find resolution. Most powerfully, clients report experiencing a transformation in their relationship with death itself—from one of painful separation to one of ongoing, loving connection.
Will I be Afraid?
It's natural to approach IADC therapy with some trepidation. You might worry: What if I see something disturbing? What if nothing happens? What if I'm not "spiritual enough"? These concerns are valid, and IADC therapists are trained to address them with sensitivity.
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You are always in control during an IADC session. The therapist creates a safe environment, and you can pause or stop at any time. The bilateral stimulation is gentle and non-invasive—you're simply moving your eyes or experiencing subtle sensory alternation while seated comfortably.
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The consistent finding across thousands of cases is that ADC experiences are overwhelmingly positive and healing. Clients describe encounters characterized by love, peace, reassurance, and forgiveness. The deceased are typically perceived as healthy, whole, and radiating compassion.
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If no ADC experience occurs—which happens for approximately 25% of clients—the therapy is still highly effective. The primary goal is to reduce grief-related sadness and distress, which is accomplished through the bilateral stimulation process itself. Many clients who don't experience an ADC during the session still report significant relief and may experience spontaneous ADCs afterward.
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Your personal beliefs don't determine the therapy's effectiveness. IADC therapists don't take a position on what these experiences "really are." Whether you believe the phenomenon is spiritual, neurobiological, or something else entirely, you can receive the same healing benefits. The therapy works equally well for religious believers, spiritual seekers, and confirmed skeptics.
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