Understanding Therapeutic Techniques: What is EMDR Therapy?

One of the advantages of living in the time we do is that we are constantly learning more about ourselves, and we’re figuring out new ways to tackle old problems. This is happening in almost every arena of human knowledge, no less in resolving emotional and mental health challenges.

As we find out more and more about how our bodies and brains work, we can develop therapeutic techniques that are more effective than past treatments, or that can produce results that would have taken longer to achieve. One therapeutic technique that is useful in dealing with trauma is EMDR.

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It’s a relatively recent therapeutic technique that had its first clinical trial in 1989.

What is EMDR therapy, and how does it work?

According to the EMDR Institute, EMDR “is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.”

EMDR therapy is an individual therapy that is distinct from other trauma-focused treatments. It does not require extended exposure to the distressing memory, detailed descriptions of the trauma, challenging of any dysfunctional beliefs you may possess, or homework assignments such as journaling.

Sessions can be conducted on consecutive days. The work of processing a specific memory is typically concluded within one to three sessions. The therapy is delivered one to two times per week for a total of six to twelve sessions, but fewer sessions can be just as effective for some people.

EMDR uses a structured eight-phase approach. It encourages the client to process traumatic memories by focusing briefly on the traumatic memory while he or she simultaneously experiences bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements). Bilateral stimulation is associated with a reduction in the intensity and emotions that are linked to traumatic memories. EMDR helps you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences.

EMDR relies on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model, which is a theory about how our brains store memories. This theory was pioneered by Francine Shapiro, PhD who also originated and developed EMDR, understands that our brains store our regular and traumatic memories differently. A traumatic experience and the memory attached to it is like a wound that can’t heal properly until it is cleaned and dressed.

When you undergo EMDR therapy, you access memories of a traumatic event in specific ways. When you combine your eye movements and guided instructions from a trained clinician, accessing those memories effectively helps you to reprocess what you remember from the negative event.

By focusing directly on the traumatic memory, EMDR aims to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain. This has the effect of reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms that are associated with the memory of trauma. It’s the mental equivalent of cleaning a physical wound and dressing it so that it can heal properly.

The reprocessing that occurs through EMDR therapy helps to heal the mental wound suffered from that memory. When you go through the therapy, whenever you recall what happened to you, it won’t feel overwhelming or as though you’re reliving it. That helps you to cope better with any feelings the memory stirs up.

How is it used?

Because EMDR therapy doesn’t require talking in detail about a distressing issue, EMDR can also help people with a wide range of mental health conditions that affect a wide range of individuals, including adolescents, teenagers, and adults of all ages who can benefit from this treatment. Some of the conditions that are treated using EMDR include the following:

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the American Psychological Association (APA), EMDR treatment is conditionally recommended for the treatment of PTSD, but alongside cognitive therapy and exposure therapy it is one of the therapies that helps address PTSD.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Body dysmorphic disorder.
• Hoarding disorder.
• Trauma disorders, such as acute stress disorder and adjustment disorder.
• Anxiety disorders like panic disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, phobias, and social anxiety/phobia.
• Depressive disorders such as major depressive disorder, persistent depressive disorder, and illness-related depression.
• Eating disorders like anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, and binge-eating disorder.
• Dissociative disorders such as dissociative identity disorder, amnesia, and depersonalization disorder.
• Personality disorders such as borderline personality disorder, avoidant personality disorder, and antisocial personality disorder.

As with any other therapy, EMDR can’t treat all mental health conditions, but it is effective for many people.

If you or a loved one have experienced trauma, or you experience any of the conditions above, speak with your doctor or a mental health professional to find out more about EMDR. You don’t need to suffer in silence or alone. Reach out for help, as it can make a big difference for people struggling with painful past events.