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EMDR Therapy

The initials ‘EMDR’ are an abbreviation of “Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing”.

What Is It?

In 1987, Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation that a repetitive bilateral eye movement could significantly reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts and feelings. Since then, the protocols for delivering EMDR have developed rapidly. It is now used by health practitioners throughout the world. Clinical research studies have shown that it can accelerate the body’s own natural adaptive information processing of memories, and that the effects are usually long lasting.

EMDR was initially developed for sufferers of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). People who have suffered accidents, natural or public disasters, war and violence (combatants and civilians), or physical or sexual assault, have all benefitted.

In 2005, EMDR was validated as a treatment of choice for PTSD by NICE (The UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence).

The particular strengths of EMDR are that it produces long lasting results extremely quickly, is very well tolerated by clients and can even be done 'blind' to practitioner (that is in very sensitive issues, the client can be treated without the practitioner ever knowing what the traumatic event was).

What Symptoms Can It Treat?

EMDR has been successful in treating the symptoms of PTSD, and is now developing to treat other areas of psychological and emotional distress, including blocks to effective performance.

These include symptoms of anxiety and depression, panic attacks, phobias, sleep disturbance, complex grief, childhood abuse, performance anxiety and various alcohol, food and substance addictions. People have found EMDR can help to improve self-confidence, leading to more positive and emotionally balanced lives.

EMDR uses a 3 layered approach where past, present and future issues are targeted in turn.

• The past – traumas, or difficult experiences, from the past are identified and cleared from the nervous system first.

• The present – any current triggers (e.g. things that trigger memories or bad feelings about past incidents), or difficult current issues are processed next.

• The future – situations ahead are rehearsed and any difficult thoughts and feelings processed.

What Happens In An EMDR Session?

Initially you would attend for an Assessment session with the EMDR practitioner. In this session the practitioner will work with you to identify your current problems and assessing whether EMDR may be appropriate form of treatment, and whether you are suited to this approach. They will provide you with some further information on EMDR and answer any questions (when possible) you may have about the treatment. Following the Assessment sessions a treatment plan may be identified and the practitioner will check your interest in proceeding with treatment.

After a thorough assessment, you will be asked specific questions about a particular disturbing memory. Eye movements, similar to those during REM sleep, will be recreated simply by asking you to watch the practitioner’s finger moving backwards and forwards across your visual field or the practitioner will use alternate hand tapping. The eye movements will last for a short while and then stop. You will then be asked to report back on the experiences you have had during each of these sets of eye movement, hand tapping. Experiences during a session may include changes in thoughts, images and feelings.

With repeated sets of eye movements, the memory tends to change in such a way that it loses its painful intensity and simply becomes a neutral memory of an event in the past. Other associated memories may also heal at the same time. This linking of related memories can lead to a dramatic and rapid improvement in many aspects of your life.

How Long Does It Take?

How long it takes overall depends on the particular issue and/or symptoms, and what the client hopes to achieve. Typically, a course of treatment lasts 6–12 sessions, with appointments scheduled weekly or fortnightly.

The following are examples of the issues that I have helped people with: