EMDR Therapy

EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a psychotherapy approach that has been used to help over two million people relieve many types of psychological distress. It is designated as an effective treatment by the APA, WHO, US Dept of VA, HHS and more. EMDR reprocessing is similar to what occurs naturally during REM sleep. It actively addresses distress held in the body to move it through the nervous system allowing the memory to hold the distress in a more healthy and liveable way (often described as distanced or 'less'). EMDR was originally studied to help sufferers of PTSD, but now its helpfulness has expanded to assist in the treatment of many issues such as anxiety, depression, addiction, childhood trauma dealt with over time, any single incident trauma, etc. It includes an 8 phase treatment involving history taking, preparation, assessment, desentization (bi-lateral stimulation), installation, body scan, closure, reevaluation. Standard or modified protocols can be used. Check out emdria.org for more information.

Read more about understanding trauma and how EMDR can help.