EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) to Treat PTSD

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a specialized form of psychotherapy that is used almost exclusively for treatment of PTSD and its associated conditions, including depression (. EMDR typically is integrated into a conventional psychotherapy regimen and is not used alone to treat PTSD.

The theory behind EMDR is that stimulated rapid eye movement may help in the psychological processing of trauma. It is thought that the day's events and our reactions to them are processed during REM sleep. In a controlled EMDR session, moving light is used to induce rapid eye movement.

Thousands of patients have been treated with EMDR for PTSD, including victims of 9-11, combat trauma, and rape and molestation. The EMDR Institute reports that there are more controlled studies of EMDR and its effects than of any other trauma treatment. The EMDR Institute states that an estimated one million people had been treated by 1995, with varying degrees of improvement. Some, but not all, studies document improvement after relatively few interventions. In 2012, Dr. Francine Shapiro, the originator and developer of EMDR Therapy appeared on the HealthyPlace Mental Health TV Show to discuss new EMDR therapy self-help techniques. These techniques are helpful for people who experienced trauma in their life, as well as for those who deal with stress or have negative thoughts and emotions.

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