EMDR – stands for: Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing
It is very efficient therapy for healing trauma spectrum disorders and is highly recommended by world leading trauma specialists.
“Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy devised by Francine Shapiro in the 1980s that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR involves focusing on traumatic memories in a manner similar to exposure therapy while engaging in side-to-side eye movements…
EMDR is recommended for the treatment of PTSD by various government and medical bodies citing varying levels of evidence, including the World Health Organization, the UK National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council, and the US Departments of Veteran Affairs and Defense.”
source: Wikipedia
EMDR allows us to work with memories of traumatic events in a relatively short time. From very disturbing, negativity influencing life (sometimes over a long time) memories causing a lot of distress, they can be transformed into just regular memories of past events, sometimes even shift to become positive resources. Very often, it can happen within a span of just several sessions. A client is first prepared for that kind of work, then coached about the process, and when ready, assisted to work with traumatic memory in a very safe manner.
EMDR is based on the same principles as other trauma and energy psychology methods. The most important difference is in the procedure. Clients’ reports about the outcome of those treatments seem to be very similar.
Our personal and professional experience shows us that a vast number of our mental health difficulties and disorders result from unprocessed (repressed, dissociated, denied) distressing/upsetting events. For instance, in my (Dorota‘s) work with families, I often use EMDR to – first support parents in overcoming their own childhood wounds before they are ready to deal with their current problems presented by the children: volatile behaviours, self-harming, truanting, school anxieties etc.
So often, the difficulties displayed by the children trigger painful memories and activate negative believes that parents have about themselves – “I am a lousy parent”, “Look at me, I’ve never been parented properly, how am I supposed to know how to help my child with this…”, “I didn’t have a father how can I be a “good daddy” now”, “I can’t do it”, “My child’s problems are all my fault” etc.
Trying to work on the current problems without sorting out the underlying ones is like putting new wallpaper on a damp, dirty wall. A good look lasts only for a moment. Soon the wallpaper starts peeling off and the problem is revealed again.
So, the EMDR can be done as a therapy in itself or in conjunction with other modalities, where it plays the role of a precise tool of delivery intervention exactly where is needed.
For details about using EMDR ask Dorota or Tom
Here Bessel van der Kolk (a leading world expert on trauma) talks about EMDR.