EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing

What is EMDR?

EMDR, Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, is a therapeutic process to decrease or eliminate the stress and anxiety associated with an unpleasant experience, such as trauma, and create a healthier, more optimal response to the experience. It is extremely useful in changing negative beliefs to more positive or healthier beliefs. It should only be used by a licensed psychotherapist who is trained in EMDR.

What is EMDR therapy?

EMDR uses eye movements directed by a therapist to:

• focus on a stress, problem, negative belief about self or past trauma,
• identify the desired change, outcome or positive belief,
• reduce anxiety,
• access psychological resource states that embody emotional, spiritual, experiential, historical, cultural and educational strengths,
• change thoughts or perception about the experience or belief.

On one hand, for example, you have stress or trauma that you are struggling with and you haven’t been able to see a way past it to get it handled.

On the other hand you have a big box of strengths to deal with the problem – psychological, emotional, spiritual, experiential, physical, historical, cultural, educational and intellectual resources.

And you literally can’t seem to get it together.

The eye movements directed by the therapist bridge the gap so that all the resources you already have become available to handle the stress in the best way for you, your beliefs and your values. In the process your distress and anxiety is lessened, if not totally dissipated. Your thoughts about the problem change, so that you experience a valid, lasting change.

In more recent years, additional tools have become available to produce bilateral stimulation of the brain in other senses. Tactile sensation, in the form of tapping or a mild buzz alternating between each hand, and sound, in the form of a tone alternating between each ear also produce the same effect as the actual eye movement.

How quickly does EMDR work?

EMDR is not usually a one session “cure”, although the use of EMDR radically speeds up the change process. Reducing or eliminating stress and anxiety significantly changes the thoughts and feelings about the problem. Then the door is open to a better, more optimal and healthier view of yourself and/or the problem.

Is EMDR like hypnosis?

This is not hypnosis. EMDR cannot make you believe something false. It cannot make “wishful thinking” a reality. You continue to be fully conscious and fully capable of rational thinking during the EMDR session. EMDR always moves people in the directions of better health and more optimal functioning.

Where can I read more about EMDR?

More information can be obtained at EMDR.com, FAQ page: www.emdr.com

Additional information is available at EMDR International Association: http://emdria.org/

Wikipedia has an extensive article on the use of EMDR with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eye_movement_desensitization_and_reprocessing

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Give Me Confidence at www.BeConfidentToday.com
Lynn Kennedy Baxter, BSN, MA
(719) 534-3104