Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma and many other mental health problems. EMDR is well supported by research evidence for treating children with symptoms accompanying posttraumatic stress (PTSD), attachment issues, dissociation, and self-regulation. It has also been effective in treating symptoms related to guilt, anger, depression, and anxiety, and can be used to boost emotional resources such as confidence and self-esteem.
EMDR Therapy allows people to process events that have become “stuck in time” and lead to symptoms in the “here and now” (i.e., the present). The symptoms a person experiences now are often the result of past experiences that have not been processed adequately and integrated in the brain.
EMDR therapy facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory network, so that information processing is enhanced, with new associations forged between the traumatic memory and more adaptive memories or information. These new associations are thought to result in complete information processing, new learning, elimination of emotional distress, and development of cognitive insights.
Dual attention stimuli, such as eye movements and tapping, are used to ‘unlock’ the brain and allow processing to occur as a person focuses on a disturbing memory. Information related to the trauma or distressing event is accessed through thoughts (images and self-beliefs), emotions, and body sensations in a structured format that allows a person to work with the memory.
For more information on EMDR, please visit: emdrcanada.org