Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapeutic technique used to process traumatic events, but its effectiveness is controversial. The process involves a series of eight steps, including eye movements, to help the patient overcome trauma. While it has been helpful for some patients, it does not work for everyone, and long-term benefits are unclear.
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapeutic technique that is supposed to help people process traumatic events. It has been used in the treatment of post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety disorder and related psychological problems. The effectiveness of this process is not understood and is controversial in some quarters. Some people argue that EMDR is of questionable value, since it hasn’t worked well in controlled studies and because the mechanism by which it works is unclear.
The concept was developed in the late 1980s. In Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, the client and therapist move together through a series of eight steps. The goal is to have the client process traumatic events without experiencing trauma, so that the patient can recover from the trauma. For people who have experienced trauma, attempts to process it can lead to reliving the trauma all over again, which is not beneficial. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing should help the patient overcome this stage by allowing the patient to process the experience.
During the session, the patient is asked to visualize both the trauma and the things that make him feel relaxed and happy. The images can be used as visual cues and the therapist also engages the client in eye movements. The client may be asked to follow a therapist’s finger, tool, or light. The rapid back and forth movements should desensitize the patient so that he can focus on processing the trauma and overcoming it. Sessions usually last around 90 minutes and can occur at different times.
For some patients, desensitization and eye movement reprocessing appear to be very helpful. In some of these cases, therapists have found that any type of stimulus that alternates stimulation on both sides of the brain is helpful. Tapping, for example, seems to have similar results. In these patients, the patient is able to process the trauma and move forward, and will not experience a recurrence of the trauma when thinking about it.
In other patients, EMDR does not appear to have a benefit. Psychotherapy is a highly individualized experience and as a result, something that works well for one person may not be effective for another. Studies are also unclear about the long-term benefits of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing; it is possible that patients who achieve benefits may relapse later in life if therapy is not continued.
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