EMDR is a therapy used to help those with PTSD by removing negative associations with past experiences. The therapist uses eye movements and positive thoughts to process emotions and redirect focus, creating new neural pathways. EMDR has shown effectiveness in relieving PTSD and anxiety disorders.
EMDR stands for Eye Movement and Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a method of therapy often employed to help those suffering from PTSD. Cognitive behavioral therapy and other body-focused therapies form the basis of the theories that have evolved in EMDR.
The goal of EMDR is to help clients remove negative associations and impulses with past and present experiences. The first step of therapy is to collect a detailed client history and define those areas that are of profound concern to the client. EMDR is almost always performed by a licensed therapist, who may also employ other methods to help patients recover from negative thinking following trauma.
Once the areas of trauma are identified, the EMDR process begins. The therapist will instruct the patient to watch a metronome or the metronome-like movements of the therapist’s hand. As the eyes move back and forth, following the movement of the hand, the patient will first be directed to think of a particular negative feeling and to dwell on it. This process can take less than a minute.
The patient will also be directed to find feelings within themselves that are positive and evoke happiness. During the EMDR portions, the patient will be redirected to focus his thoughts on things that feel safe or positive, while he tracks hand movement.
The patient will be asked to rate his feelings about the negative images or thoughts once he has focused on them. Assessments can be taken multiple times during a session to gauge the effectiveness of the therapy. Clients undergoing their first EMDR sessions may need to be redirected so that their focus is singular on image. Sessions continue until the client is desensitized to previously negative stimuli.
The theory behind EMDR is that, in times of extreme trauma, the mind cannot fully process the emotional content associated with the trauma. For example, a rape victim may come to the conclusion that she is somehow responsible for the rape. When trauma becomes associated with negative beliefs about oneself, recovery is challenging. Even if, on an intellectual level, the rape victim knows they are not responsible, deeper negative messages prevail.
By dwelling momentarily on a negative thought or image, and then quickly switching to a positive thought, feelings can be processed more fully in EMDR. Eye movement is thought to reduce the vivid aspects of the trauma, allowing for easier processing. It also serves as a distraction, so focusing on the image or thought can remain intense. As EMDR sessions build up, it is thought that new neural pathways open up to allow the client to redirect focus when memories of a traumatic event recur. These “redirects” help the customer quickly switch from negative to positive images.
EMDR has been shown to be effective in relieving post traumatic stress and has also shown some efficacy with those suffering from anxiety disorders. Clinical trials in the 1990s and early 2000s showed great promise with this therapy. It is less successful in patients who have organic mental illness and are not receiving chemical treatment.
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