What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy technique that is steadily growing in popularity. It is a non-traditional approach to combatting stress and anxiety, but it is particularly helpful for victims of PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder).
History of EMDR
1987 - Dr. Francine Shapiro was walking in the park when she noticed that her eye movements appeared to decrease the negative emotions she felt while struggling with her own stressful memories. She deduced that it was her eye movements making the desensitizing effect, and upon experimentation, she found that others had a similar response. Dr. Shapiro added other therapeutic effects when she realized that the eye movements themselves were not creating as much change as she thought. The added treatment elements included a cognitive aspect which she called Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD). This later morphed into Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR).
What problems does it help with?
depression
anxiety or panic attacks
phobias and fears
childhood trauma
physical or sexual abuse
bad temper
low self-esteem
loss or injury of a loved one
fire
car accident
assault or robbery
natural disaster
injury or illness
witness to violence
trouble sleeping
How does it work?
A therapist trained in EMDR will start by asking you to revisit the traumatic memory plaguing you. This is the difficult and daunting part, but it is necessary in order to start the healing process. The therapist will then move his or her fingers back and forth in front of your face, asking you to follow the hand motions with your eyes. WebMD points out that some therapists use hand or toe tapping techniques, others use musical tones. Gradually, through gentle guidance by the therapist, your thoughts will uncouple, turning into more positive ones. The results are very successful and most people always feel that their negative emotions and memories have been weakened or become less debilitating after the session. People often report a major shift.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
Anyone plagued by the list of problems above can see an EMDR therapist for an initial consultation. The therapist will consider all the factors in order to determine whether or not it is right for you.
“EMDR has been so well researched that it is now recommended as an effective treatment for trauma in the Practiced Guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association, and those of the Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs.”