EMDR Therapy
EMDR Therapy
What Is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a structured form of psychotherapy designed to help individuals process distressing memories and experiences that contribute to a wide range of psychological difficulties. Developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro, EMDR is grounded in the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which posits that unprocessed distressing experiences can become “stuck” and continue to cause emotional, cognitive, and physiological distress (EMDR International Association [EMDRIA], n.d.; Shapiro & Solomon, 2017). EMDR therapy guides the brain’s natural healing processes, allowing traumatic memories to be re-evaluated and integrated in a way that reduces their emotional impact while retaining the memory itself.
How Does EMDR Work?
EMDR therapy involves a standardized eight-phase treatment protocol. Beginning with history taking and preparation, the therapist collaborates with the client to identify relevant memories, negative beliefs, and related sensations. During desensitization, the client focuses on distressing material while engaging in bilateral stimulation (typically guided eye movements or other rhythmic stimuli) which supports the brain’s ability to reprocess the memory toward resolution (EMDRIA, n.d.; Shapiro & Solomon, 2017).
Through this process, distressing images, beliefs, and emotions associated with past events can be transformed into more adaptive understandings and responses.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR Therapy?
EMDR therapy has been shown to benefit people of all ages across a wide range of challenges. While it is widely recognized as an effective treatment for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), research and clinical practice indicate that EMDR may also be helpful for anxiety, panic attacks, phobias, depression, chronic illness, grief and loss, pain, performance anxiety, and other stress-related difficulties (EMDRIA, n.d.; Skywood Outpatient, n.d.).
What to Expect in EMDR Therapy
EMDR may typically involves weekly sessions, unlike EMDR intensives. Within the therapeutic relationship, you and your therapist collaboratively determine treatment targets and progress through the eight phases of therapy. The goal of EMDR is not to erase memories, but to change how they are stored in the brain so that they no longer carry overwhelming emotional weight and no longer negatively influence current functioning (EMDRIA, n.d.; Shapiro & Solomon, 2017).
Evidence and Recognition
EMDR therapy has been the subject of extensive research and has been recognized by numerous national and international organizations as an effective treatment, particularly for trauma and PTSD. Randomized controlled trials and clinical studies support its effectiveness and have helped establish EMDR as an evidence-based intervention in the field of psychotherapy (EMDRIA, n.d.; Shapiro & Solomon, 2017).
References
EMDR International Association. (n.d.). About EMDR therapy. https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/
Shapiro, F., & Solomon, R. M. (2017). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy. In S. N. Gold, J. M. Cook, & C. J. Dalenberg (Eds.), Handbook of trauma psychology: Vol. 2. Trauma practice. American Psychological Association.
