EMDR - What is it?

EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. 

EMDR is best known for its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It is widely used by the NHS, charitable organisations and private sector, and the Ministry of Defense uses it  to help service personnel with PTSD.

It can also be used to help treat a variety of mental health problems like depression or anxiety, especially where a difficult life event has been involved. EMDR can be useful for people who have witnessed or experienced an event like a car accident, a violent crime, sexual or emotional abuse, bullying, a social humiliation or the sudden loss of a loved one, and are struggling to recover.

EMDR helps you to change how you feel about memories of a trauma and helps you to have more positive emotions, behaviour, and thoughts. It stops difficult memories causing so much distress by allowing the brain to reprocess them properly.

What happens during a session
You will be asked to concentrate on an image of a memory connected to the traumatic event and the related negative emotions, sensations and thoughts. This is whilst I guide you through a set of Bilateral Stimulation (eye movements, tapping or sounds). After each set of eye movements, you will be encouraged to describe what you are noticing now. This process is repeated until the level of distress is significantly reduced.

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Verywell / Danie Drankwalter