The World Health Organization describes EMDR as "therapy based on the idea that negative thoughts, feelings & behaviors are the result of unprocessed memories."
EMDR is a powerful tool for people who've experienced (or are experiencing) trauma, low self-esteem, anger, abuse, depression, pain, guilt, PTSD, anxiety, phobias, or fears.
What is EMDR?
EMDR is a revolutionary therapy, which has helped millions release painful experiences, memories, or beliefs. By utilizing the brain’s natural healing processes, EMDR therapy quickly heals many emotional problems and conditions that have been difficult and time-consuming to treat in the past. It does not involve a trance state (such as hypnotherapy) and allows clients to 'connect the dots' as to the causes of emotions they are feeling, release those emotions, and move forward.
What does "EMDR" mean?
EMDR is an acronym for "Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing", discovered and patented by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1989. While walking through Central Park, Dr. Shapiro noted a healing effect from moving her eyes back and forth while simultaneously recalling a disturbing event. Since that time, thousands of therapists have trained in this highly effective treatment. It has become the chosen treatment for persons suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. It is frequently used with the military and first responders.
How long does EMDR take?
Sometimes a 2 to 4-hour session of EMDR is sufficient to provide immediate relief from emotional distress. However, the length of treatment depends on multiple factors, and some patients benefit from additional sessions to reinforce or address other issues as they occur or as a client identifies triggers related to other memories or events.
Can EMDR be used via telehealth or virtual sessions?
Comment from Clifton Fuller:
"EMDR is a very effective tool to address many painful feelings and I have used EMDR in my Private Counseling and Coaching Practice for decades. During the 2019 COVID pandemic when there was a need to keep clients safe from potential exposure, I moved to online HIPAA-secure telecounseling and coaching. My clients, staff, and I all had to adapt, due to the safety and health issues that would have presented themselves with continued in-office face-to-face sessions. EMDR continued to be amazingly successful with clients whether in person in an office setting or online with virtual sessions.
Because EMDR is based on bilateral (left-right) stimulation of the brain and visual imagery, the therapy can also be utilized during a video session. I obtained additional training and certification to provide EMDR in virtual session formats. There are highly effective online processes in using left and right bilateral tapping on either side of the midline of the body while holding a mental picture. For some, EMDR online may slightly slow the process, but that is not always the case for others. I've found virtual results are as effective as in-office EMDR therapy and, for many, much more accessible and convenient.
This has allowed clients to continue to receive effective relief from symptoms of anxiety, depression, panic, pain management, and PTSD when continuing online video sessions in the convenience of their homes. During the stressful times of CV-19, EMDR helped many of my clients continue to remain mentally healthy, even as they addressed difficult, unusual, or unexpected issues.”
How does EMDR work?
Despite medical advances, some mechanisms of the brain remain a mystery. However, several theories have emerged to explain the amazing outcomes of EMDR treatment. During EMDR, bilateral stimulation (created by eye movements or alternating tapping on the hands) activates the opposite sides of the brain allowing the brain to release emotional experiences that are "trapped" in the nervous system.
This type of stimulation resembles REM sleep as our eyes move from one side to the other. It is during REM sleep that the brain naturally sorts out our experiences from the day, discarding useless information and transferring memories to the appropriate part of the memory. However, sometimes extremely negative experiences can get “trapped” or “frozen” in the brain, unable to resolve naturally, resulting in nightmares, depression, anger, anxiety, or emotional disturbance.
EMDR is like "connecting the dots" in your brain to allow you to release difficult memories, physical pain, or trauma. It is like you are unplugging pain receptors as if you were a 1940s telephone operator unplugging jacks (plug-ins) from your switchboards.
"As a coach and counselor, I've had many clients who have been referred to me by pain management physicians, psychiatrists, family, friends, or spouses. Some clients come to me out of pressure from that referral source, but with little hope, or expectation, that EMDR is all it's cracked up to be. I often smile, as when I first tried it, I, too, was skeptical. I am no longer skeptical and based upon the feedback I've received over the years, many clients are amazed at how effectively it worked for them to bring relief. One client's spouse even told me that he didn't feel he even knew his wife anymore and it was like he was married to a new woman because his wife no longer was anxious...at all. He said it was wonderful, but they'd had some adjusting to do when she was able to let go of her anxiety more quickly than either had expected. Both were surprised at how much time they now had to do other things together that they really enjoyed...when before, most of their time had been spent addressing her anxiety with constant reassurance on his part. There are many other stories that I've heard that make me happy to see people being able to move forward in life, as if heavy burdens had been lifted through EMDR."
What does EMDR do?
EMDR assists in unlocking and helping you release these painful memories or beliefs as the eye movement or tapping stimulates the two hemispheres of the brain to communicate with each other, arriving at new conclusions, so that the original trauma no longer contains the negative emotional charge originally associated with it!
Who benefits from EMDR?
EMDR has been utilized primarily in the treatment of trauma experiences such as physical or sexual abuse, car accidents, victims of crime, natural disasters, and severe loss or grief of war veterans. However, positive results have also been observed with panic and anxiety disorders, sexual dysfunction, chemical dependency, peak performance, and chronic pain. Extensive research has shown EMDR as the most effective and rapid method for healing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). In addition, EMDR can result in increased self-esteem, decreased feelings of depression, and a renewed spirituality. EMDR has been utilized all over the world and has proven effective with adults, children, and adolescents.
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