EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy was first developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980’s and is now recommended as one of the most effective treatments for trauma and PTSD.  I was initially skeptical of EMDR when I first heard about it in 1993. I wondered how any intervention could work so quickly and effectively to resolve traumatic experiences.  I became convinced of its strength and impact when I was trained by the EMDR Institute in 2002.  EMDR is a remarkable therapeutic intervention that uses the mind and body’s adaptive healing processes to address not only the memories of traumatic experiences, but also the negative thoughts through which people perceive those experiences.  EMDR is a stand-alone therapy, but I include it as a very useful tool in my therapeutic toolbox to help my clients make significant progress in their therapy. 

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I offer EMDR in-person and online.  I use an online platform called EMDR Remote when working virtually.  This platform is easy to use and allows for visual and auditory BLS (Bi-lateral Stimulation).  When in person, I use a lightbar with audio and tactile accessories. 

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I have used EMDR to successfully treat:

• PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress disorder),

• physical, emotional, and sexual abuse,

• the sudden loss of a loved one,

• the aftermath of infidelity or betrayal,

• anxiety, panic attacks, and some phobias,

• medical and dental trauma

 

and to prepare for:

• auditions, interviews, public speaking, and sports performance

 

EMDR helps to facilitate the adaptive reprocessing of upsetting memories so that they no longer bother the you. You’ll always have the memory, but it no longer causes distress because it is integrated into your memories in the way everyday memories are integrated.  You will have a more adaptive understanding of the experience, and the thoughts and memories will no longer get in the way of living your life in the present. People often report a feeling of “getting their lives back” once the burden of the distressing experiences has been lifted, through the process of EMDR.

 

Here are a few good resources for EMDR:

www.EMDRIA.org

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Every Memory Deserves Respect: EMDR, the Proven Trauma Therapy with the Power to Heal – Baldwin and Korn

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Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy – Shapiro