EMDR
What is EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy?
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​During EMDR therapy, clinical observations suggest that an accelerated learning process is stimulated by EMDR’s standardized procedures, which incorporate the use of eye movements and other forms of rhythmic left-right (bilateral) stimulation (e.g., tones or taps). While clients briefly focus on the trauma memory and simultaneously experience bilateral stimulation, the vividness and emotion of the memory are reduced.
Unlike other treatments that focus on directly altering the emotions, thoughts and responses resulting from traumatic experiences, EMDR therapy focuses directly on the memory, and is intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms. Memories evolve and change, so after a memory is worked through, the mind/brain automatically undoes a process of integration and reinterpretation.
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​PTSD is considered a result from past disturbing experiences that continue to cause distress because the memory was not adequately processed. These unprocessed memories are understood to contain the emotions, thoughts, beliefs and physical sensations that occurred at the time of the event. When the memories are triggered these stored disturbing elements are experienced and cause the symptoms of PTSD and/or other disorders.
EMDR puts the traumatic experience in to perspective so the memory stops having a life of it’s own. Those who have profoundly traumatic experiences tend to be unable to open and form a trusting connection in therapy, so EMDR allows them to process their trauma by observing their experiences in a new way, without having to talk about it.