EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing and was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro.
EMDR is widely used as a successful therapy to process trauma and treat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or PTSD. EMDR has been clinically proven to be effective through extensive empirical research. Can you recall what you wore last Wednesday? Probably not. But are you able to pull up an upsetting memory from something painful that has happened to you right now? Chances are that you can. Chances are also that no matter how much talking you do with friends, family members, or therapists this disturbing memory won’t go away.
Dr. Shapiro discovered that trauma memories, unfortunately for us, are stored in a part of our brain that is often not able to be healed by regular “talk therapy.” These trauma memories are protected and held by our brains and can sometimes feel “like they just happened yesterday” causing for some clients, extreme emotional pain and disturbance in their lives.
EMDR works by stimulating the part of the brain where stuck trauma memories are stored so that they can be adequately processed. Processed means that the memory becomes much less intense and painful, even forgettable, much like the rest of your "non important" memories. This is done with back-and-forth eye movements called BLS (Bi-Lateral Stimulation) which are directed by your EMDR clinician. In addition, your EMDR clinician will lead you through a concrete procedure to help you access the stored trauma memory and process through it successfully.
EMDR is not only used to treat trauma and PTSD with amazing results, it is also used to effectively treat:
- Panic attacks
- Complicated grief
- Dissociative disorders
- Disturbing memories
- Phobias
- Pain disorders
- Performance anxiety
- Stress reduction
- Addictions
- Sexual and/or Physical abuse
- Body dysmorphic disorders
- Personality Disorders
This list was taken directly from www.EMDRIA.org, the governing body of EMDR. For research studies and more in depth information about EMDR please feel free to visit EMDRIA. You will find EMDR approved therapists on the website, including myself.
Because of the effectiveness I've seen using EMDR personally, and the extensive research by its governing body proving its reliability in releasing trauma memories from the brain, I continue to invest hundreds of hours in my EMDR certifications. I am not only trained in EMDR by Dr. Phillip Manfield, but I am also an EMDR certified clinician. This means in addition to completing basic training and supervision to become a trained EMDR therapist, I have also studied advanced course work in EMDR, taken advanced EMDR trainings, and completed 20 additional hours of supervision to become certified under an EMDR approved consultant: Ross Cohen, LPC.
IS EMDR RIGHT FOR YOU?
If you think you might be suffering from trauma, CLICK HERE TO TAKE A SHORT TEST. If you find yourself answering “yes” to many of the questions, EMDR can be an effective therapy for you.