What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a therapeutic process that encourages clients to focus on a trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation. The bilateral stimulation used in EMDR is typically eye movements, but other methods are also effective. This process helps reduce the vividness and emotion associated with trauma memories. EMDR therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms.
EMDR is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain which allows the brain to resume its natural healing process. Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyzes and controls behavior and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, they may not be processed without help.
Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create an overwhelming feeling of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.
EMDR therapy helps children and adults of all ages. Therapists use EMDR to address a wide range of challenges including anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias, chronic illness and medical issues, depression and bipolar disorders, dissociative disorders, eating disorders, grief and loss, pain, performance anxiety, personality disorders, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other trauma and stress-related issues, sexual assault, sleep disturbance, and substance abuse and addiction.
In the late 1980s, Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., discovered a connection between eye movements and persistent upsetting memories. With this personal insight, she began what became a lifelong study and development of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. Over the years, and in the face of initial skepticism, Dr. Shapiro’s work developed from a hypothesis to a formal therapy process. EMDR therapy has been demonstrated to be effective for treating trauma in randomized clinical trials, case studies, and millions of clinical hours treating trauma and trauma-related disorders across the globe.
One last important note: EMDR is a powerful therapy and can be very helpful in your healing process. To ensure that you experience a safe process, it’s important that you find an EMDR therapist who is well trained in both EMDR and trauma. Interview any potential therapist, ask a lot of questions, and look into their background and level of experience before agreeing to work with them. This can help you get the most effective benefits from EMDR.
