EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR
EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
In the late 1980s, American psychologist Francine Shapiro, PhD, developed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This breakthrough therapy offers a unique way to overcome the devastating effects of psychological trauma.
Since its discovery, a growing community of therapists has witnessed its power to transform lives. Furthermore, numerous controlled research studies consistently prove its effectiveness. For many clinicians, EMDR feels like a “gift” to both themselves and their clients. As a result, they are eager to share this powerful healing tool with others.
What Happens in an EMDR Session?
EMDR is a trusted psychotherapy practiced worldwide for over 25 years. It combines successful elements from many therapies but includes unique techniques.
During a session, your therapist will guide you through a series of lateral eye movements. While you follow these movements, you will focus on specific parts of a disturbing memory. These eye movements are a form of “bilateral stimulation.” Some therapists also use alternating sounds through headphones or handheld devices that tap gently on your hands.
EMDR therapy works for many psychological problems caused by overwhelming life experiences. For example, someone who feels “stuck” after a difficult breakup may find they no longer feel overwhelmed by negative emotions. Similarly, a person afraid of driving after an accident can finish a session feeling safe to get behind the wheel again.
Why It Works
Dr. Francine Shapiro discovered that emotional symptoms often resolve naturally when you recall a memory while using bilateral stimulation. This “dual awareness” allows your brain to process memories safely. As a result, negative thoughts and painful emotions begin to fade.
More than just a set of techniques, EMDR helps you reach your full potential. It guides you toward psychological health by removing the blocks created by upsetting experiences.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a powerful psychotherapy that helps people heal from emotional distress and traumatic life experiences. Research shows that EMDR can provide benefits in a few sessions that used to take years in traditional therapy.
Many people assume that deep emotional pain requires a long time to heal. However, EMDR demonstrates that the mind can recover from psychological trauma just as the body heals from a physical injury. For example, when you cut your hand, your body naturally works to close the wound. If a foreign object irritates the injury, the wound festers and causes pain. Once you remove that block, healing resumes.
Similarly, your brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If a disturbing event blocks this system, emotional wounds can cause intense suffering. EMDR clinicians use specific protocols to help you remove these blocks and activate your natural healing process.
Proven Results
More than 30 controlled studies have confirmed the effectiveness of EMDR therapy. Some studies show that up to 90% of single-trauma victims no longer have PTSD after only three 90-minute sessions. Because of this success, major organizations like the World Health Organization and the American Psychiatric Association now recognize EMDR as an effective treatment for trauma.
How EMDR Treatment Works
EMDR therapy combines several elements to create the best results. It focuses on three distinct time periods: the past, the present, and the future. First, we address disturbing memories from your past. Next, we look at current situations that cause you distress. Finally, we help you develop the skills and attitudes you need for positive actions in the future.
To achieve this, EMDR uses a structured eight-phase approach.
Phase 1: History and Planning
In the first phase, your therapist assesses your history and creates a treatment plan. Together, you identify “targets” for processing. These targets include painful memories and current situations that cause emotional distress. We also focus on the specific skills you will need for future success.
If you had a difficult childhood, we may process early events before moving to more recent stressors. The length of your treatment depends on your specific history. For example, people with a single traumatic event often see success in under five hours. However, those with multiple traumas may require more time to heal completely.
Phase 2: Preparation
During the second phase, your therapist ensures you have tools to handle emotional distress. You will learn various imagery and stress reduction techniques to use during and between sessions. Our goal is to create rapid change while making sure you feel stable and balanced throughout the process.
For Clinicians: The Science of EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized psychotherapy originally designed by Francine Shapiro. It focuses on alleviating the deep distress associated with traumatic memories. By facilitating the access and processing of adverse life experiences, EMDR brings these memories to an adaptive resolution.
Clinical Benefits
- Relief from Distress: EMDR significantly reduces emotional (affective) distress.
- Cognitive Restructuring: It helps clients reformulate negative beliefs into positive ones.
- Physiological Calm: The process actively reduces physiological arousal and “fight or flight” responses.
The Mechanism of Change
During treatment, the client attends to disturbing material in brief sequential doses. Simultaneously, they focus on an external stimulus, most commonly therapist-directed lateral eye movements. Other effective stimuli include hand-tapping or audio stimulation (Shapiro, 1991).
EMDR is exceptionally effective for treating Trauma and PTSD. Controlled trials show an 80-90% success rate, even in clients with severe symptoms. Dr. Shapiro (1995, 2001) hypothesizes that EMDR enhances information processing. By forging new links between traumatic memories and adaptive information, the therapy leads to complete processing, new learning, and profound cognitive insights.
The Three-Pronged Protocol
- The Past: Processing historical events that laid the groundwork for current dysfunction.
- The Present: Targeting current triggers and desensitizing internal and external distress.
- The Future: Incorporating imaginal templates to help clients acquire skills for adaptive functioning