WHAT IS EMDR?

EMDR is a method for treating emotional difficulties caused by disturbing life experiences ranging from traumatic events such as combat stress, assaults and natural disasters to upsetting childhood and adult experiences.  It aims to desensitize, relieve and resolve unconscious memories with their accompanying emotions that have continued to interfere with a person's relationships, feelings about oneself and quality of life.

                           HOW DOES EMDR WORK?

When a person is very upset the brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily.  Emotions connected with a traumatic experience become "frozen in time" and remembering the event may feel as bad as going through it the first time.  By utilizing bilateral stimulation through eye movements, alternating pulsars held in one's hands or tapping, EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way the brain processes information so that normal processing resumes and a person no longer is affected by those intense emotions that have had an

effect upon their functioning in life.  EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  It processes out disturbing material which ultimately helps a person see and feel events experienced in the past and its accompanying emotions in a new and less distressing way.

WHAT'S AN ACTUAL SESSION LIKE?

The client calls to mind the disturbing issue or event, what was seen, felt, heard,thought, etc. and what thoughts and beliefs are currently held about that event.  The therapist facilitates the directional movement of the eyes or other dual attention stimulation while the client focuses on the disturbing material, noticing whatever comes to mind without controlling the direction or content.  Sets of eye movements (or other dual stimulation) are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thoughts and beliefs about one's self; for example, "I did the best I could."  During the EMDR the client may experience intense emotions but by the end of the session, most people report a great reduction of the level of disturbance and associated symptoms.