EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) Therapy was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 during her famous "walk in the park". Dr. Shapiro noticed herself beginning to have some disturbing thoughts and payed close attention to the way her eyes began rapidly moving back and forth. She noticed that the disturbing thoughts began to disappear. When bringing the thoughts back, she noticed they were not as strong as they previously were. A few days later she tried this out with some friends, colleagues, and workshop participants. Decades later, EMDR is one of the most researched forms of therapy. 

 

Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. This process involves communication between the amygdala (the alarm signal for stressful events), the hippocampus (which assists with learning, including memories about safety and danger), and the prefrontal cortex (which analyzes and controls behavior and emotion). While many times traumatic experiences can be managed and resolved spontaneously, they may not be processed without help.

 

Stress responses are part of our natural fight, flight, or freeze instincts. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.

(www.emdria.org)

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What can EMDR help with? 

• Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

• Chronic Illness and medical issues

• Depression and bipolar disorders

• Dissociative disorders

• Eating disorders

• Early childhood trauma

• Grief and loss

• Pain

• Performance anxiety

• Personality disorders

• PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues

• Sexual assault

• Sleep disturbance

• Substance abuse and addiction

• Violence and abuse 

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