EMDR (eye movement desensitization and reprocessing) is a powerful psychotherapy treatment for trauma. Developed by psychologist Francine Shapiro, EMDR helps people to heal and overcome the painful memories that may be causing distress in their lives. The technique is used to treat a wide range of conditions, including anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), addictions, and medically unexplained symptoms, like chronic pain or headaches.
The effectiveness of EMDR is supported by extensive research. It is recommended by the World Health Organisation and International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies as a effective treatment for PTSD. However, it is important to complete the entire 8-phase process with a trained therapist to achieve the best results.
In a typical EMDR session, your therapist will guide you to recall a traumatic memory that is causing distress. They will then ask you to focus on the emotions and bodily sensations that are associated with the memory. They will also ask you to think of positive thoughts that are opposite the negative emotion, such as “I am safe”, or “I can do this”. As you do this, your therapist will move their fingers back and forth in front of your eyes and ask you to follow these movements with your eyes. Alternatively, some therapists will use alternative methods, such as hand or toe tapping, and others will play music or tones.
During this phase, your therapist will assess whether EMDR is the right therapy for you. They will also teach you self-care techniques to help manage strong emotions that may emerge during and between sessions.
Once the therapist is confident that EMDR is the right therapy for you, they will start the next phase of treatment. This includes the preparation stage, where they will discuss how to prepare for EMDR and what to expect from this type of therapy. They will also introduce you to the theory behind EMDR.
In the reprocessing phase, your therapist will select a traumatic memory that is causing you distress and triggers PTSD symptoms. They will ask you to recall the memory while thinking of positive thoughts, and they will measure your subjective discomfort with the traumatic memory (SUD) and your belief in these new, healthy beliefs (VOC).
This is an important step, as it is believed that the unprocessed memory is at the root of many symptoms that can be caused by trauma. This is why the reprocessing phase is so important. As the memories are processed, your body will begin to feel less and less distressed and you will be able to find relief from your PTSD symptoms. You will then be ready to begin the installation phase of EMDR. This is when the preferred, more adaptive cognition becomes deeply ingrained in your brain. This will allow you to feel more empowered and resilient in the future. This is what makes EMDR so effective at treating trauma.