Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing was developed by Francine Shapiro. I provide this therapeutic intervention to my clients in addition to talk therapy. As an EMDR trained therapist, I have seen movement for clients that feel stuck or paralyzed by the past.
EMDR has been studied and provides help with anxieties, phobias, trauma, and PTSD. It is an evidence-based approach that heals or repairs unprocessed memories. These memories can be stored from real or perceived threats. These type of memories get stored in the brain and the body as images, thoughts, feelings, and sensations. They are fragmented and stored away without complete connections and meaning making. EMDR allows your brain to unlock the memories from their file and restore them in a way that connects or processes the information. The memory will no longer have a hold on you with strong emotional feelings, discomfort, and confusion. Instead of the memory being erased, it is filed appropriately moving from unprocessed (without meaning) to processed (with meaning), which is important for mental health.
EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for trauma by the American Psychiatric Association and the US Department of Defense. For more information:
EMDR International Association (EMDRIA)
EMDR Institute Inc.
Trauma Recovery EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs
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