EMDR: This therapy is effective for trauma — here’s how it works
In 1987, psychologist Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., made a discovery during a walk in the park. While walking, she was thinking about some recent disturbing events in her life. As she considered these events, she became aware that her eyes were moving back and forth. As her eyes moved, she noticed that the negative emotional charge of the painful memories that had driven her to the park that day subsided dramatically. She began exploring the connection between “bilateral” (back-and-forth) eye movements and the diminishing or “desensitization” of anxiety. She eventually developed a full treatment around this feature and conducted controlled research and case studies to evaluate its effects. She named the approach Eye Movement Desensitization (EMD), and later changed the name to Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (EMDR).
That’s exactly what it is: a psychotherapy for desensitizing anxiety (taking away or lowering distress) and reprocessing traumatic memories. And yes, it’s also a mouthful and an earful. We know.
What Shapiro came to prove was that trauma victims are actually able to experience a reduction in symptoms and start experiencing a level of peace and healing within a few sessions. Previously, this kind of change had been possible only after years of talk therapy—if ever. Subsequently, EMDR has been intensively studied and proven effective—and efficient—in the treatment of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
PTSD develops in response to a traumatic experience that causes intense fear, helplessness, or horror. EMDR therapy is recognized as an effective form of treatment for PTSD by the American Psychological Association, the World Health Organization, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, and the U.S. Departments of Veterans Affairs and Defense. More than 100,000 clinicians throughout the world use the therapy, and millions of people have been treated successfully over the past 30 years.
Once traumatic experiences and their related triggers have been processed, we expect to see a reduction or even a complete remission in a wide range of problems and symptoms.
Who can benefit from EMDR therapy?
In addition to applications with obvious trauma-related problems and diagnoses, EMDR is being used to treat people of all ages—who may or may not have PTSD—suffering from depression, anxiety, phobias, pain, eating disorders, addictions, psychotic disorders, and medically unexplained physical symptoms.
It’s being used with combat veterans and first responders (police, firefighters, EMTs, doctors, and nurses) as well as with groups of people in the immediate aftermath of “critical incidents” or disasters, such as mass shootings, hurricanes and floods, and terrorist attacks. With EMDR therapy at my disposal during the coronavirus pandemic, I was able to effectively and efficiently treat front-line workers (employed in grocery stores, hospitals, and homeless shelters), those who had been on ventilators in the ICU, and those who had suffered devastating losses of loved ones.
EMDR therapy is based on the idea that psychological difficulties are related to the brain’s failure to adequately process traumatic memories. Of course, most mental health experts support the notion that past experiences have at least something to do with our current personalities, coping styles, relationship difficulties, and psychological struggles. This idea is certainly not new. However, EMDR therapy specifically searches for and addresses memories related to current dysfunction.
How EMDR leads to healing?
As memories are adequately processed with EMDR, symptoms recede and memories get more effectively connected to other related memories and information, allowing shifts in thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and physical sensations. Healing involves spontaneous movement toward positive thinking and more manageable feelings and a significant reduction in distress and anxiety experienced in one’s body.
Please click the link below to read further: