Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that enables people to heal from the symptoms and emotional distress that are the result of disturbing life experiences.  Repeated studies show that EMDR therapy can show more effective results within a shorter period of time, than other more traditional forms of psychotherapy.

It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal, however EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma.  When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound.  If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain.  Once the block is removed, healing resumes.

EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes.  The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health.  If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering.  Once the block is removed, healing resumes. At Working Minds, we provide these detailed protocols and procedures to help clients activate their natural healing processes.

An EMDR treatment session can last up to 90 minutes. Your therapist will move his or her fingers back and forth in front of your face and ask you to follow these hand motions with your eyes. At the same time, our EMDR therapist will have you recall a disturbing event. This will include the emotions and body sensations that go along with it.

Gradually, our therapist will guide you to shift your thoughts to more pleasant ones, alternating finger movements, such as hand or toe tapping or musical tones.

People who use the technique argue that EMDR can weaken the effect of negative emotions. Before and after each EMDR treatment, your therapist will ask you to rate your level of distress. The hope is that your disturbing memories will become less disabling.

Although most research into EMDR has examined its use in people with PTSD, EMDR is sometimes used experimentally to treat many other psychological problems. They include:

• Addictions
• Anxiety, such as discomfort with public speaking or dental procedures
• Eating disorders
• Panic attacks

EMDR therapy involves attention to three time periods:  the past, present, and future.  Focus is given to past disturbing memories and related events.  Also, it is given to current situations that cause distress, and to developing the skills and attitudes needed for positive future actions.  At Working Minds, our EMDR therapy sessions are addressed using an eight-phase treatment approach.