Why EMDR?
EMDR has been increasing in popularity over the last decade and has made its way into common cultural vernacular, though many people know very little about EMDR, let alone what those four letters stand for.
EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of trauma treatment developed by Francine Shapiro, PhD, in the late 1980s. Since then, many Randomized Control Trials (RCTs) have affirmed its benefits for reducing the impact of traumatic events.
EMDR is a multi-phasic approach to treating trauma, though the “eye movement” phase of EMDR is often considered to be a crux of the treatment. While each therapist and client will develop a personalized treatment plan for them, much of what is believed to be the “trauma processing” phase of EMDR happens when therapists engage their clients in “eye movements” or other bilateral stimulation while remembering certain memories, images, or feelings. This bilateral stimulation paired with recalling traumatic content is, in theory, what allows the brain to properly “store” the traumatic content, thereby reducing the day-to-day impacts of the trauma.
The above description is an oversimplification of all facets of EMDR, though for people curious to learn more in depth, the EMDR International Association has an “about EMDR” page that is full of research and easy-to-understand content.
As a therapist who utilizes EMDR in clinical practice, I have seen clients shift from being in a state of near-constant anxiety and hypervigilance to feeling a sense of calm and self-assuredness after progressing through the EMDR phases in our therapy sessions.
If you’re looking to overcome difficult events from the past or if you’re simply just wanting to explore current patterns that are making things difficult for you, contact me for a free consultation so we can discuss treatment options for you.
BONUS: How do I know that a therapist is going to be using EMDR properly? Check out this blog post for more.
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Erin Drum, LCSW, is a mental health therapist in Salt Lake City, Utah who provides EMDR and IFS (among other treatments) to help clients find inner peace and acceptance.
