So, What Exactly is EMDR?

If you’re interested in getting into therapy or are seeking out mental health resources, there’s a good chance you’ve heard the term EMDR. Over the past few years it’s gained traction as one of the go-to therapies for treating distressing memories, folks with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or anything processing any type of trauma. It’s now shown to be effective in treating anxiety and depressive disorders, eating disorders, personality disorders, and OCD among many others. It’s approved by the World Health Organization and “recognized as ‘best practice’ in treating veterans experiencing PTSD.”A newer evidence-based practice, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy uses eye movement and external stimuli to assist in working through past painful experiences.

Where Does It Come From? 

A newer approach to therapy work, EMDR was developed in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro when she was on a walk and realized her negative emotions decreased as her eye movement increased. Through a series of case and controlled studies, Shapiro discovered that the external stimulus caused by repetitive and rapid eye movements helped ease the discomfort in recalling painful memories. This form of desensitization of the traumatic memory allows the client more emotional safety to explore and process. The injured mind is now able to go back in to repair itself and heal the mental and emotional scars caused by the traumatic event, which Shapiro termed Adaptive Information Processing.

What Does It Look Like in Session? 

EMDR treatment consists of eight phases. Over the course of the intake sessions, the therapist will gather your history and assess your readiness for treatment, including which events or memories should be the focus of the sessions. The second session includes learning emotional regulation tools to use during and in between sessions. Overall, the first three phases are spent working on stabilization and building a working relationship with your therapist.

For phases three to six, you’re asked to identify a visual image of the memory, a negative belief and positive belief about yourself, and then related emotion and body sensations. As the therapist guides you through each one of these aspects, they conduct bilateral stimulation through eye movements, taps, or tones. Within these sessions, you’ll most likely be asked to follow the therapist’s fingers moving back and forth, follow a flashing light on a light beam, or use repetitive tactile or auditory options. These are repeated until you report no distress related to the memory.

For the week of phase seven, you’re asked to keep a log of any thoughts that arise, making sure to lean on the distress management tools learned in phase two. Phase eight offers space for you to reflect on any progress made on past distressing events, current related distress, and events that may require processing in the future.

Why Should I Try It? 

According to the EMDR Institute, “more than 30 positive controlled outcomes have been done on EMDR therapy,” showing that 84%-90% of single-trauma victims no longer experienced PTSD after a session. It’s effective, relatively fast, and generally less stressful than other therapies, making it extremely popular for those who want to work on deep-seeded traumas.

(This article was contributed by Palo Alto University Master’s Graduate in Mental Health Counseling, Emily Win)