What is EMDR?
(Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

EMDR is a powerful short-term therapeutic process that uses bi-lateral tones, taps or eye movements to effectively treat psychological trauma and many other emotional conditions such as those listed above. EMDR has been approved as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) by the American Psychological and Psychiatric Associations, Veteran’s Administration, and the U.S. Department of Defense.

How does EMDR work? When a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. An upsetting moment can become “frozen in time” (this is trauma). If the memory gets ‘triggered’ again by a thought or one of the senses, the upsetting (traumatic) moment is relived, that is, it may feel as bad as going through it the first time. EMDR appears to be similar to dreaming, or REM sleep, and helps the brain reprocess emotional experiences that are stuck. This process allows the person to see the trauma from a new perspective. The memory is still there, but the negative emotional/physical response has been neutralized.

Adapted from the Emdria (EMDR International Association) Newsletter:  EMDR focuses on reprocessing the dysfundtionally stored memories of the traumatic experience, enabling you to process through appropriate stages of emotions and insight to reach an adaptive resolution regarding critical issues in your life such as personal responsibility, keeping yourself safe in the present, and seeing the availability of choices in your future. (Soloman & Heide, 2009) 

Why use EMDR? Simply stated, EMDR is a powerful rapid therapy that is highly effective, works quickly and produces lasting results. Have you ever said, “I know better (left brain), so why do I keep feeling this way (right brain)?"  Logic tells you things are OK, but your nerves and emotions don’t agree.  EMDR can help you reprocess this conflicting information to reach a more reasonable adaptive resolution.