The Benefits of EMDR Therapy

What is EMDR?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing.  EMDR is a therapeutic technique that is extremely effective for the relief of psychological stress.  EMDR assists with the relief of anxiety; post-traumatic stress disorder; panic disorder; grief and bereavement and any concern where one feels “stuck”. 

According to the EMDRIA, EMDR is an evidence based psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition, successful outcomes are well documented in the literature for EMDR treatment of other psychiatric disorders, mental health problems, and somatic symptoms. The model on which EMDR is based, Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), posits that much of psychopathology is due to the maladaptive encoding of and/or incomplete processing of traumatic or disturbing adverse life experiences. This impairs the client’s ability to integrate these experiences in an adaptive manner. The eight phase, three pronged process of EMDR facilitates the resumption of normal information processing and integration. This treatment approach, which targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges, results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.

As EMDR clinicians what we believe is that when a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information in the same was when they are not upset or distressed. We may become “stuck” in a place and remembering a trauma may feel just as powerful as when we were experiencing that trauma. Such traumas and memories have a lasting negative effect that interferes with the way a person sees the world.

According to the EMDRIA, EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following a successful EMDR session, a person no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the event is brought to mind. You still remember what happened, but it is less upsetting. Many types of therapy have similar goals. However, EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way.

As EMDR clinicians, the benefits of EMDR can be seen as an extremely beneficial and powerful.  If you are interested in learning more about EMDR please visit www.emdria.org.