EMDR Therapy
I am trained in EMDR therapy through an EMDRIA-accredited training program. I have a passion for using EMDR to work with individuals who have experienced trauma.
Not only is EMDR therapy effective in treating trauma and PTSD. EMDR has been shown to be helpful for:
Panic Attacks
Anxiety
Depression
Performance Anxiety
Stress Reduction
Phobias
Eating Disorders
Addictions
Personality Disorders
EMDR is recognized internationally for its ability to treat PTSD and trauma. EMDR has also been found to be an effective form of treatment with many other mental health issues. EMDR is an eight phase treatment which involves eye movement or other bilateral stimulation. EMDR theory suggests pathology is caused by inadequately processed memories. Bilateral stimulation enables access to dysfunctionally stored memories and permits reprocessing to occur, which in turn allows for adaptive memory storage.
EMDR today is supported by the American Psychiatric Association, Inserm (French Institute of Health and Medical Research), the National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health, the US Department of Veteran Affairs & Department of Defense,and the World Health Organization.
Francine Shapiro, the creator of EMDR, discovered the process accidently while walking in a park. Shapiro realized that as she was thinking about a distressing memory, eye movements decreased her sensitization to the negative emotions associated with the memory. Shapiro found the eye movements alone were not as effective in desensitizing as combining eye movements with a cognitive aspect. Shapiro then developed the Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) procedure, which involves using bilateral eye movements while the client thinks about a disturbing memory. In Shapiro's first controlled trial, Shapiro found all twenty of her subjects experienced some alleviation of negative emotions from a traumatic memory. After this original study, further research was completed using the EMDR procedure. The “Reprocessing” piece is especially important because it signifies the cognitive changes taking place with EMDR therapy.
For more information regarding EMDR Therapy history and and research please visit:
