What is EMDR? Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy process that has helped many people with emotional and traumatic problems over the last 10 to 15 years. Who created EMDR? Dr. Francine Shapiro, a psychologist, in the late 1980s discovered, by observing a positive change in her own life, that disturbing feelings, thoughts, painful memories, and flashbacks, can be released/processed by having victims rapidly move their eyes rapidly (back and forth) while thinking about the event, memory, or scene. EMDR either eliminated, or greatly lessened, the negative messages related to the traumatizing event for the victim. Also, EMDR had a calming effect, which increased confidence, for the victim, as they began to regain healthy control of their lives. For this reason, EMDR has been used to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), rape victims, and Vietnam Vets, people who have had a hard time finding peace, confidence, and effective lives after their traumatic experiences. How does EMDR help for today? EMDR has been developed into an effective treatment for a range of emotional problems, as well as PTSD. I use EMDR as an effective tool in my individual, couples counseling, and sex therapy work. EMDR can also be used to enhance positive performance, so that athletes, performing artists, or business people can enhance their performance or increase effective, self-confident business behaviors. Tell me more about the Rapid Eye Movements? When EMDR was first discovered rapid eye movements were used. This back and forth movement is called bilateral stimulation, which lasts from 10 seconds to two minutes. Bilateral stimulation can also use alternating Sound Tones, going back and forth from ear to ear. Also, mild taps on each side of the body, going back and forth, has the same therapeutic effects as rapid eye movements. What’s it like doing EMDR therapy? Therapist and client need several sessions to understand the problem, or area of enhancement, that the client wants to change before doing EMDR. The therapist determines whether EMDR is helpful; discovers the events, or images, memories, dreams, or scenes that are to be “targeted” with EMDR; and then prepares the client for the EMDR process. Although EMDR can bring remarkable results, it is not a quick therapy, and should not be done hastily. During an EMDR session, the client focuses on the selected event. To begin, the therapist helps the client focus on him/herself witnessing the event/image again. Then the bilateral stimulation (eye movements, beeps, or taps) starts with individual rounds of bilateral stimulation lasting from 10 seconds to two minutes. After this the therapist interrupts the bilateral stimulation to ask the client about their current feelings, and thoughts, to further guide the process. The EMDR process is complete when the client can observe the image and experience an increased sense of self-confidence and calm at the same time! With each round of bilateral stimulation the negative feelings tend to decrease and calm confidence increase. How does EMDR work? It is not known how EMDR works. We have learned that the client must first focus on something important to them, a picture, thought, event, dream, etc. Then the client must focus on her/himself while also focusing on the image. Next the bilateral stimulation is applied, while the client is observing themselves witnessing the image similar to seeing a video, or a watching the countryside go by on a train ride. The therapist then interrupts the bilateral stimulation to ask about the client’s current condition and then do another round of EMDR or bilateral stimulation. EMDR of the selected image ends, when, after repeated rounds of seeing the image, the client is able to do so with a greater positive sense of her/himself. EMDR helps with the following kinds of problems or needs . . . EMDR is helpful with anxiety, panic attacks, obsessive-compulsive behaviors, PTSD, stress, social phobias, the emotional pain related to abusive or neglectful childhoods, anger, rage, low self-esteem, depression, complicated grief, relationship problems, performance anxiety . . . My EMDR specialty areas are: I use EMDR to help clients improve the quality of their lives. Finding freedom from the painful effects of abusive relationships, gives my clients a greater strength to handle difficult people in their present lives. Many of my clients have gotten help from extreme low self-esteem, anxiety and stress that made life difficult for them, and clients with depression have discovered increased confidence. EMDR is very helpful for clients dealing with the emotional after-effects of growing up in alcoholic/drug-addicted families, and abusive and neglectful families. Some clients have found EMDR helpful for difficult legal situations, preparing for crucial exams with confidence, or facing other intimidating situations in their lives. I have also found EMDR for relationship counseling and sex therapy work greatly useful. Want to read more about EMDR? If you want to learn more about EMDR find a copy of this easy to read book!!! “EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy for Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, and Trauma” by F. Shapiro and M. S. Forrest. Make the decision today to begin moving “beyond the storm”. Feel free to ask me any questions you need. Sincerely, Caroline Britton Gearing, MA, LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist 503.244.4008 / 360.690.8400 e-mail: clearskies@beyond-the-storm.com www.beyond-the-storm.com “moving beyond the storm”