What is EMDR?
EMDR - EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITISATION & REPROCESSING - is a therapy protocol which is used in psychotherapy, for the treatment of trauma memories. The aim of this protocol is to reduce the ability of trauma memories to trigger intrusive re-experiencing, psychological distress and overwhelm. It does this by reprocessing the memory using side to side eye movements, or “bilateral stimulation” as it is also called. It was initially used in treatments associated with PTSD but is now more widely used and found to be effective with most distressing trauma memories, in most clients. It has been in use for over 30 years and has many randomised controlled trials supporting its effectiveness.
(EMDRAA Website: https://emdraa.org )
WHAT IS THE THEORY BEHIND EMDR? HOW IS IT BELIEVED TO WORK?
The theory behind EMDR, developed by Dr Shapiro, is called the “adaptive information processing” theory and posits that something about the side-to side eye movements cause the memory to be processed in an adaptive way. The exercise appears to “push” the memory to be processed and to go from short to long term storage. While the exact mechanism is still not understood fully, what is known is that it works.
WHAT EVIDENCE BASE & SUPPORT DOES EMDR HAVE?
EMDR therapy is now among the worlds most researched therapies for PTSD and has very good empirical support. In addition, it is endorsed by many reputable organisations as a safe and effective treatment for PTSD and other traumas, including the World Health Organisation, The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies and the American Psychiatric Association. For more detail on this, it is recommended that you visit the EMDRAA website or the EMDR Institute both of which provide excellent information. Please use the links provided: (EMDRAA Website: https://emdraa.org)
HOW DID EMDR DEVELOP?
The protocol was developed in the USA in 1987 by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro, who wrote the seminal book on the subject. There is a significant amount of ongoing research to understand exactly how this process works within the brain & mind. Shapiro and others have developed theories based on current knowledge of the brain and memory processes, to explain how it is thought to work.
DO THERAPISTS HAVE TO TRAIN TO USE THE EMDR PROTOCOL?
YES. There are accredited training providers all over Australia, and there is also a registering body (EMDRAA) that runs an accreditation process - setting standards and regulating both trainers and the trainees. Membership of this body shows that the practitioner has completed a standardised training in the protocol and is continuing to keep up to date with their learning and the supervision of their work. There are 2 sets of training of 2-days each (Part 1 & 2), which need to be completed separately, with practice in between. Accredited practitioners have achieved more experience and had more supervision and this is something many EMDR therapists work towards. (EMDRAA Website: https://emdraa.org)
WHAT ARE THE ADVANTAGES OF EMDR COMPARED WITH OTHER TREATMENTS?
According to EMDRAA: “Treatment is focused on the symptoms and conducted in session. EMDR has comparable results to that of other trauma treatments such as exposure therapy, but over a much shorter time frame.” In addition, studies “have shown that 77-90% of clients with PTSD were able to eliminate their symptoms after 3-7 sessions of ... (desensitisation in) ... EMDR (without homework). It is better tolerated by clients than exposure therapy. Finally, clients do not have to talk in detail about their trauma.” See Link: EMDR FAQ - EMDRAA https://emdraa.org/emdr-faq/
WHAT KINDS OF PROBLEMS CAN EMDR HELP WITH?
EMDR can help with any problem which has trauma experience at its core. For many people, trauma causes unhelpful negative core beliefs about themselves & interpersonal problems that relate back to traumatic childhood memories of mistreatment or neglect. So, any issue from anxiety to depression, phobias, eating disorders, stress, pain management, grief, sleep disorders, addictions and many others could be helped if the causes are related to traumatic memories.
WHAT IS THE EMDR PROTOCOL LIKE?
EMDR is an 8-phase protocol which includes the following stages:
Phases 1-3: The therapist will take the client’s history, conduct treatment planning with them, then start a phase of assessment followed by preparation. This could include developing a timeline of their life, and activities to focus on their strengths and resources. They will also educate the client about EMDR and gain fully informed consent.
Phases 4-5: The therapist will guide the client through reprocessing the troubling trauma memories 1 at a time, “desensitising” the memory and associated negative self-beliefs, with breaks for discussion & review, at a rate titrated for the client’s needs. This will also include the “installation” of positive beliefs about themselves.
Phase 6-7 Body Scan & Closure: This is checking to see if anything remains to be processed and then closing of the session in a calming way.
Phase 8: Re-evaluation will happen regularly throughout the process. The client will be able to use a “stop signal” to take a break at any time throughout the process.
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