EMDR
Eye Movement, Desensitising and Reprocessing
EMDR is a psychotherapeutic treatment used in conjunction with traditional psychotherapy and counselling.
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EMDR was validated in 2005 by NICE (National Institute of Clinical Excellence) as a treatment choice for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). It has since been developed to treat other areas of emotional disturbance.
EMDR and Trauma
When a person has experienced a trauma, the brain’s natural healing process may become overloaded or ‘stuck’, leaving the original disturbing experiences unprocessed. These raw memories are stored in the brain and can continue to cause disturbance when a perceived similar event is experienced. This may result in post traumatic stress symptoms such as nightmares, panic attacks and flashbacks.
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EMDR is a complex method of psychotherapy that integrates many of the successful elements of a range of therapeutic approaches and combines them with eye movements or other bilateral stimulation (gentle tapping or audio cues) so that the brain's natural healing system is stimulated. This enables the original trauma to be desensitised and processed. One theory underlying EMDR is that as REM (rapid eye movement or ‘dream’) sleep works to process the day’s events, eye movements during EMDR do the same for traumatic memories and enables the brain to healthily process the trauma.
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A wealth of research has been conducted demonstrating the benefits of EMDR in treating psychological trauma. Further information can be found at www.emdr.com.
Who can benefit from EMDR?
Anyone who has experienced a traumatic event (big or small) and are continually troubled by the event or the negative beliefs associated with it.
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EMDR can help people who have suffered extreme and obvious traumas, including those with a diagnosis of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Complex Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Developmental Trauma. In such cases, I would aim to have contact with other clinicians involved in the client’s diagnosis and treatment before starting any therapy.​​
​EMDR has recently been developed and found to be effective to treat many other psychological disturbances that are rooted in trauma, including anxiety, depression, panic attacks, phobias, obsessive compulsive disorder and general stress.
In most cases, I use EMDR as a form of psychotherapy once a trusting therapeutic relationship has been established. With children and teenagers, I usually weave EMDR techniques into the psychotherapy sessions rather than working in a purely EMDR way.
What happens in an EMDR session?
After gaining information on the client's trauma history, the therapist will use bilaterial stimulation which might include moving the eyes from side to side or gently tapping each side of the body whist the client is talking and thinking about past experiences and memories. The therapist will be continually checking in on the client’s present feelings and will allow time at the end of the session to reflect on what has come up. EMDR sessions usually involve some relaxation and grounding techniques which can help the client to feel safe and regulate themselves whist working on their trauma.
