EMDR- Eye Movement, Desensitisation and Reprocessing

EMDR therapy is helping a rapidly increasing number of people let go of painful experiences, memories, or beliefs. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and was discovered by American Psychologist, DR. Francine Shapiro.

EMDR is a revolutionary therapy that is helping a rapidly increasing number of people let go of painful experiences, memories, or beliefs. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing and was discovered by American Psychologist, DR. Francine Shapiro.

It works on the cognitive, emotional and physiological aspects of human distress. By using the brain’s natural healing processes, EMDR therapy can quickly resolve many emotional problems and conditions which previously have been difficult to treat with other forms of therapy.

When a person is involved in a distressing event, they may feel overwhelmed, and their brain may then be unable to process the information as it would a normal memory. The distressing memory or memories become frozen on a neurological level and the memory can then be experienced like a stuck record.

When a person recalls the distressing memory, the person can re-experience sights, sounds and even sensations or smells associated with the traumatic event.

EMDR uses alternate eye movements, sounds or taps to stimulate the brain and help to process difficult or traumatic memories. The aim of treatment is for you to ‘remember without distress’. The treatment adapts the frozen or blocked information, so it no longer causes problems for the individual. The memories become less distressing and often just seem like ‘ordinary’ memories after treatment is completed.

EMDR is now recognised as one of the treatments of choice by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence and the World Health Organisation for the treatment of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). There is also an ever-growing body of evidence for the efficacy of EMDR for other psychological difficulties such as depression, phobias, OCD, stress, generalised anxiety disorder, low self-esteem/low confidence and complex bereavement (For further information see research by psychologists such as Nanni, et al. 2012., Kowal, 2005, Brown & F. Shapiro, 2006., Gavreau & Bouchard, 2008.) EMDR can be used to enhance self-development as well as treating mental ill health; it allows people to overcome the barriers that prevent them from reaching their personal and professional goals.