EMDR

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy approach developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to help people heal from trauma and adversities, including abuse, bullying, domestic violence, grief/loss, attachment wounds, abandonment, PTSD, and many other complicated life issues. EMDR therapy is an evidence-based approach that has been validated by over 20 randomized controlled clinical trials.

EMDR therapy integrates elements of many traditional psychological approaches and is based on the adaptive information processing model (AIP). The AIP model hypothesizes that there is an inherent information processing system in the brain that gets blocked when traumatic or adverse events occur, causing these events to get locked in the brain with the original picture, sounds, thoughts, feelings and body sensations. When reminders of traumatic or adverse events come up, those pictures, thoughts, feelings, and sensations can continue to be triggered. According to Dr. Shapiro, many emotional problems and disorders are manifestations of unprocessed trauma memories that are stored in the brain. EMDR therapy works to help the brain reprocess these traumatic memories, thereby alleviating emotional and psychological disturbances.

EMDR therapy has been used with adults, adolescents and children for a wide variety of emotional and psychological issues including:

• Anxiety

• Phobias

• PTSD

• Depression

• Attachment disorders

For more information on EMDR, visit EMDRIA.