| EMDR ... |
EMDR is a relatively new therapy used in treating post traumatic stress
disorder. (see anxiety,
depression) EMDR, Eye Movement
Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a unique clinical treatment that has
been utilized with over a million individuals to treat a multitude of traumas
including:
- Workplace accidents
- Auto accidents
- Sexual abuse
- Domestic violence
- Combat
- Crime
and those suffering from a number of other complaints including:
- Depression
- Addictions
- Phobias
- Self-esteem
EMDR integrates many of the successful elements of traditional therapy with
eye movements like those known to occur during sleep.
Many are familiar with the phase during sleep referred to as REM Sleep. During this phase of sleep
the eyes are rapidly moving from left to right. Researchers believe this is
when the brain is able to process and resolve all the events of the day.
EMDR utilizes this same concept to resolve traumas that remain.
With EMDR therapy it is unnecessary to spend massive amounts of time recounting
detailed life history and psychological material.
Utilizing the natural information-processing system of the brain, people can achieve their
therapeutic goals at a quicker rate, with recognizable changes that remain
over time.
The EMDR website states
"Fourteen controlled studies support the efficacy of EMDR,
making it the most thoroughly researched method ever used in the treatment
of trauma. The most recent five studies with individuals suffering from
events such as rape, loss of a loved one, accidents, natural disasters, etc.
have found that 84-90% no longer had post-traumatic stress disorder after
only three treatment sessions."
The EMDR website notes that while many people show dramatic responses in
a short amount of time, some people will progress more slowly and that the
slower progression is not abnormal. For instance, clients with multiple
traumas and those that originate in childhood will sometimes need longer
treatment. Just as in any therapy, we all progress at the rate appropriate to
our unique situation.
For more detailed information on EMDR please visit
www.emdr.com
The information on this page is general in nature and not
intended as a substitute for a professional clinical evaluation.
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