What Is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a treatment approach that primarily helps people access and process the memories/feelings/thoughts/sensations of traumatic or troubling life events, in order to lessen or eliminate their negative impact on current life experience, and allow growth and health.  EMDR uses multiple treatment modes along with eye movement (as in REM sleep) to support the brain's natural inclination to process and positively integrate life experience.  EMDR can also be used to help athletes improve their performance, through similar processes, as well as EMDR techniques called "resourcing."

Experience is ordinarily processed by the brain through activities such as casual thinking, spontaneous emotional experiencing, day-dreaming, talking with others, creative expression, dreaming during sleep, etc.  When the brain is free to process life events fully, they eventually add to who we are, enriching our lives and identities.  Even difficult or painful memories that are well-processed can lead to valuable insights and wisdom, new-found strength, and a deeper appreciation for oneself and for life.  The aspects of the painful memories that need to be let go of, when they are well-processed, are allowed to fade away more effectively (in a way that avoidance does not accomplish).

This natural, beneficial processing can be interrupted when experiences are especially troubling or traumatic--the events may be just too painful, scary, or overwhelming to take in.  A person may also be prevented from, or find it necessary to avoid, recalling or speaking about those memories.  In either case, natural processing may not happen or may be incomplete.  Sharing about the experience with friends and family may stop or never get started.  The person may avoid thinking about the event as much as possible, often going to great lengths (which are self-harming) to do so (avoiding any reminders in their day-to-day lives, using alcohol or substances, or splitting in their minds from the part of themselves that experienced the trauma).  When natural processing is stopped in this way, troubling memories can begin to interfere with our current lives in increasingly painful ways.

EMDR helps the brain resume its natural processing of troubling and traumatic life events by gradually lessening their intensity and reducing the need for avoidance.  The back-and-forth eye movements of EMDR seem to help the brain desensitize to the troubling memory and re-start its processing and healthful reintegration.  Other aspects of EMDR treatment are also important, including the degree to which the client feels safe and supported by their therapist during the process.  Increased connection to traumatic memories will certainly bring some emotional upheaval, and a therapist will challenge clients to step beyond their comfort zone when appropriate.  But the purpose of the process is not to flood or overwhelm; EMDR is effective when it is challenging but manageable.  The therapist assists the client to simultaneously ground themselves in the safe present moment in the therapist's office as well as connect to the feelings, body sensations, self-beliefs, and other aspects of the past traumatic memory.  Eventually this dual connection to past and present is joined up with consideration of a realistic, positive self-belief the client would like to take with them into their preferred vision of their future--a future they choose despite the traumatic event that has occurred.  All these aspects of EMDR combine to make it a very comprehensive treatment, and its effectiveness in helping to heal trauma, anxiety, and other conditions is supported by many scientific studies and the experience of over two million clients worldwide.


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