EMDR Therapy
Alone, or in combination with other therapeutic approaches, EMDR (Eye
Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) has proven very effective in
helping people move beyond distressing ways of thinking, feeling, and
behaving, and into a place of resolution. This is often true even with
problems that feel long-standing, complex, ‘stuck’, or have been resistant
to other forms of therapy in the past. As well, the resulting changes
from EMDR can happen in a shorter period of time, sometimes fairly quickly,
compared to problems targeted using more traditional forms of ‘talk therapy’.
To date, EMDR has helped an estimated two million people of all ages relieve
many types of psychological distress. Also, it is not necessary for you
to understand what is specifically causing your problem or distress for
EMDR to be effective.
What Is EMDR?
In 1987, psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation
that eye movements (or other forms of “bilateral stimulation” such as
sounds going back and forth in the ears, or tactile sensations alternating
on either side of the body) can reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts,
memories, and feelings under specific conditions. Dr. Shapiro studied
this effect scientifically and, in 1989, she reported, in the Journal
of Traumatic Stress, success using EMDR to treat victims of trauma. Since
then, EMDR has developed and evolved through the contributions of therapists
and researchers all over the world. Today, EMDR is a complex therapy with
a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from many different
treatment approaches.
EMDR therapy is used to successfully treat the following issues:
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In my work using EMDR with people, I have been impressed with the level of healing EMDR can facilitate, as well as the relief, joy, and personal growth that often follows.
For more information about EMDR therapy, please visit the following websites:
http://www.emdria.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=56
http://www.emdr.com/q&a.htm
http://www.emdr.com/briefdes.htm
To book an appointment to further discuss EMDR therapy, please call 519-936-5542.