What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy used to treat symptoms of emotional distress caused by distressing life experiences. Studies have demonstrated that through the use of EMDR therapy people can reap the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to achieve.
How does EMDR work?
Generally, it is believed that severe emotional pain takes a long time to heal. In fact, EMDR shows that the mind can indeed heal from psychological trauma much like the body can recover from physical trauma. For example, when you cut your hand, your body works to heal the injury. Foreign objects or repeated injuries can cause the wound to fester and become painful. Once the obstruction is removed, healing continues. EMDR demonstrates that mental processes follow a similar sequence of events. The brain's information processing system naturally moves toward mental wellbeing. As a result of the impact of a disturbing event, the system can be blocked or imbalanced, causing the emotional wound to fester and cause deep suffering. Once the block is removed, healing can resume. Through the detailed protocols and procedures learned in EMDR therapy training sessions, clinicians help clients activate their natural healing processes.
EMDR Results
More than 30 positive controlled outcome studies have been done on EMDR therapy. Some of the studies show that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer have post-traumatic stress disorder after only three 90-minute sessions. Another study, funded by the HMO Kaiser Permanente, found that 100% of the single-trauma victims and 77% of multiple trauma victims no longer were diagnosed with PTSD after only six 50-minute sessions. In another study, 77% of combat veterans were free of PTSD in 12 sessions. There has been so much research on EMDR therapy that it is now recognized as an effective form of treatment for trauma and other disturbing experiences by organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the World Health Organization, and the Department of Defense. (source: emdr.com)
Our EMDR trained therapists
Carrie Moffitt-Reaves, LCSW
Matt Yount, LCSW
Maria Ibarra, LMSW
