What is EMDR therapy?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a mental health treatment that was created by Dr. Francine Shapiro beginning in 1987. EMDR has since evolved to become a gold standard treatment for PTSD and other stress-related disorders. This method involves moving your eyes a specific way while you process traumatic memories. EMDR’s goal is to help you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. Compared to other therapy methods, EMDR is relatively new but has already developed a strong body of research showing its efficacy. The first clinical trial investigating EMDR was in 1989. There have been dozens of clinical trials since showing EMDR is effective and can help a person heal faster than many other methods.
Who should try EMDR therapy?
EMDR can help people with a wide range of mental health conditions. Adolescents, teenagers and adults of all ages can benefit from this treatment. Some healthcare providers also specialize in EMDR for children.
Potential advantages of EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy doesn’t require talking in detail about a distressing issue. EMDR instead focuses on changing the emotions, thoughts or behaviors that result from a distressing experience (trauma). This allows your brain to resume a natural healing process. While many people use the words “mind” and “brain” when referring to the same thing, they’re actually different. Your brain is an organ of your body. Your mind is the collection of thoughts, memories, beliefs and experiences that make you who you are.
Reprocessing and repair
When you undergo EMDR, you access memories of a trauma event in very specific ways. Combined with eye movements and guided instructions, accessing those memories helps you reprocess what you remember from the negative event. That reprocessing helps “repair” the mental injury from that memory. Remembering what happened to you will no longer feel like reliving it, and the related feelings will be much more manageable.
How common is EMDR therapy?
EMDR therapy is very common around the world. In the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense list EMDR as a “best practice” in treating veterans experiencing PTSD. Research on EMDR includes dozens of clinical trials, research studies and academic papers. It has official approval from the World Health Organization (WHO) and government organizations and agencies in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, among others.
Why does EMDR work?
There are still some questions surrounding why EMDR works. The creator of EMDR, Dr. Francine Shapiro, developed a working theory about how your brain stores memories and how bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movement, tapping, auditory stimuli) supports integration of fragmented memories. Despite that question, there is wide acceptance among professionals regarding EMDR's effectiveness, especially for PTSD, which is supported by more than 40 randomized controlled trials, as well as multiple meta-analyses and systematic reviews. EMDR therapy is explicitly recommended in major national and international treatment guidelines including - among others - those issued by:
For more information, access: my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a mental health treatment that was created by Dr. Francine Shapiro beginning in 1987. EMDR has since evolved to become a gold standard treatment for PTSD and other stress-related disorders. This method involves moving your eyes a specific way while you process traumatic memories. EMDR’s goal is to help you heal from trauma or other distressing life experiences. Compared to other therapy methods, EMDR is relatively new but has already developed a strong body of research showing its efficacy. The first clinical trial investigating EMDR was in 1989. There have been dozens of clinical trials since showing EMDR is effective and can help a person heal faster than many other methods.
Who should try EMDR therapy?
EMDR can help people with a wide range of mental health conditions. Adolescents, teenagers and adults of all ages can benefit from this treatment. Some healthcare providers also specialize in EMDR for children.
Potential advantages of EMDR Therapy
EMDR therapy doesn’t require talking in detail about a distressing issue. EMDR instead focuses on changing the emotions, thoughts or behaviors that result from a distressing experience (trauma). This allows your brain to resume a natural healing process. While many people use the words “mind” and “brain” when referring to the same thing, they’re actually different. Your brain is an organ of your body. Your mind is the collection of thoughts, memories, beliefs and experiences that make you who you are.
Reprocessing and repair
When you undergo EMDR, you access memories of a trauma event in very specific ways. Combined with eye movements and guided instructions, accessing those memories helps you reprocess what you remember from the negative event. That reprocessing helps “repair” the mental injury from that memory. Remembering what happened to you will no longer feel like reliving it, and the related feelings will be much more manageable.
How common is EMDR therapy?
EMDR therapy is very common around the world. In the United States, the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense list EMDR as a “best practice” in treating veterans experiencing PTSD. Research on EMDR includes dozens of clinical trials, research studies and academic papers. It has official approval from the World Health Organization (WHO) and government organizations and agencies in the United Kingdom, Australia and Germany, among others.
Why does EMDR work?
There are still some questions surrounding why EMDR works. The creator of EMDR, Dr. Francine Shapiro, developed a working theory about how your brain stores memories and how bilateral stimulation (e.g., eye movement, tapping, auditory stimuli) supports integration of fragmented memories. Despite that question, there is wide acceptance among professionals regarding EMDR's effectiveness, especially for PTSD, which is supported by more than 40 randomized controlled trials, as well as multiple meta-analyses and systematic reviews. EMDR therapy is explicitly recommended in major national and international treatment guidelines including - among others - those issued by:
- The World Health Organization (WHO)
- The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies (ISTSS)
- The American Psychiatric Association
- The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (U.S. VA)
- The US Department of Defense (DOD)
- The Australian National Health and Medical Research Council
For more information, access: my.clevelandclinic.org/health/treatments/22641-emdr-therapy
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“The goal of EMDR Treatment is to rapidly metabolize the dysfunctional residue from the past and transform it into something useful.”
Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. Founder of EMDR Therapy |
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What is an EMDR Certified Therapist?
Once someone has completed the EMDR basic training and their independent licensure to practice mental health, they are eligible to become an EMDR Certified Therapist through EMDRIA (EMDR International Association). EMDR Certification is the next step to honing EMDR therapy skills, but is not required to practice EMDR therapy. It is an additional credential that some EMDR therapists pursue to show dedication to clinical excellence and ongoing growth in the field. Being an EMDR Certified Therapist indicates that someone has undertaken further consultation, sharpened clinical practice skills, and has committed to ongoing EMDR education. |
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