Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing
EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocess is a form of psychotherapy designed to help diminish the negative effects of traumatic events and disturbing memories. Unlike traditional therapy EMDR does not require the person to talk about the traumatic events that occurred, instead the focus is on diminishing the disturbing emotions and symptoms that resulted from the event.
EMDR was originally developed to treat the symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, however, EMDR is now used in the treatment of a variety of psychological disorders including anxiety and phobias.
How it Works
The goal of EMDR is to fully process past experiences and sort out the emotions attached to those experiences. Negative thoughts and feelings that are no longer useful are replaced with positive thoughts and feelings that will encourage healthier behavior and social interactions. EMDR therapy occurs in eight phases:
1) History and treatment planning
2) Preparation, to establish trust and explain the treatment in-depth
3) Assessment, to establish negative feelings and identify positive replacements
4) Desensitization, which includes the eye movement technique
5) Installation, to strengthen positive replacements
6) Body scan, to see if the client is now able to bring up memories of trauma without experiencing negative feelings that are no longer relevant, or if reprocessing is necessary
7) Closure, which occurs at the end of every session
8) Re-evaluation, which occurs at the beginning of every session
In completing these stages the traumatic memories are fully process and the impact that these memories have on the individuals day to day life diminishes.