What Is EMDR?
This article provides a brief history of EMDR and shares the way it works, and the general phase-model that is used. It explains the benefits of EMDR and how it is unique.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. This type of therapy began in 1987 after a graduate student named Francine Shapiro became interested in exploring how distressing thoughts abated when she moved her eyes back and forth. Although that is the history, it is good to note that EMDR is more than eye movement and reprocessing, it is a trauma-informed treatment approach (Shapiro, 2018).
To boil it down to the basics, when someone engages in EMDR, they are guided by a trained therapist to focus on a highly distressing memory while following the therapist’s fingers move across the visual field, or sometimes by tapping the shoulders or hearing a sound on either side. After this, the client will talk about thoughts, images, and sensations that were elicited by the bilateral stimulation. This reprocessing component or the digestion of a traumatic memory, (focusing on the difficult memory) will come towards the end of building the groundwork of trust, emotional skills, and developing a treatment plan collaboratively between the client and therapist.
Benefits of EMDR
EMDR allows us to process a traumatic moment in small doses. In addition, the eye movement helps form new associations allowing the body and mind to reintegrate the trauma and adapt. The EMDR Institute, Inc. writes,
“These new associations [resulting from EMDR] are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights” (n.d.).
Another advantage of this method is that the client does not need to concentrate on the traumatic memory for long periods of time. Some therapists have found that clients have a higher tolerance for EMDR than other exposure therapies, and is therefore seen by many clients as more secure and without negative outcomes. It is important to practice EMDR with a trained professional because the best results come from systematically preparing the client to engage in reprocessing a traumatic memory.
EMDR therapy often follows three stages. In a snapshot, they are:
Take a history of the trauma and map out a treatment plan
Learn a way to cope with stress.
Throughout stages 3-6, the client will think about a negative thought or belief, locate bodily sensations, and explore a memory associated with the trauma.
7. Client keeps a log and revisits coping techniques from stage 2.
8. The therapist and client will review the progress made up to that point.
References
EMDR Institute, Inc. (n.d.). What is EMDR? https://www.emdr.com/what-is-emdr/
(Shapiro, F.) (2018). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy: Basic principals, protocols and procedures (3rd ed.). Gilford Press.New York.