What is EMDR
I have been trained by Humanitarian Assistance Program (EMDRIA Approved) and am able to provide EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as an isolated treatment, or as part of a longer therapeutic relationship.
EMDRIA defines EMDR as:
“EMDR is an evidence-based psychotherapy for Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). In addition, successful outcomes are well-documented in the literature for EMDR treatment of other psychiatric disorders, mental health problems, and somatic symptoms.
The model on which EMDR is based, Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), posits that much of psychopathology is due to the maladaptive encoding of and/or incomplete processing of traumatic or disturbing adverse life experiences.
This impairs the client’s ability to integrate these experiences in an adaptive manner. The eightphase, three-pronged process of EMDR facilitates the resumption of normal information processing and integration.
This treatment approach, which targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges, results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.”
I’ve found EMDR to be a useful tool in working with many people who have either experienced specific traumas, or who need help resolving long-standing issues related to negative beliefs about themselves. It’s a more structured technique than I generally otherwise utilize with my clients but I’ve found it to produce quick, impressive results for most of my clients.