By Kathryn J. Cann, LCSW
EMDR has become widely recognized and highly recommended as one of the most effective treatments for trauma survivors. Because treatment effects are usually attained more quickly than in traditional psychotherapy, it is often more cost effective. Concrete results are often experienced by the client almost immediately. Although research on EMDR has focused mainly on the treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), clinicians report success using EMDR for many other conditions as well including: anxiety/panic attacks, complicated grief, disturbing memories, phobias, performance anxiety, stress reduction, chronic pain/illness and sexual and or physical abuse.
Although we don’t know exactly how, EMDR seems to affect the way the brain stores and processes information. When a person is very upset, their brain cannot process information in the usual way. A memory can become “frozen in time” and physically stored in the brain in a way that isolates it from more adaptive functioning. Remembering the event can then feel as bad as the initial experience. These stored memories become triggered by current life events, and then interfere with the way the person sees the world and the way they relate to others. Following EMDR, traumatic memories are stored differently in the brain so that the person no longer relives the images, sounds and feelings when they recall the memory. They still remember what happened, but it is far less disturbing.
Each client is unique, but there is a standard eight phase approach for EMDR. This involves taking a complete history, preparing the client’s target memories, actively processing the past, present and future, and ongoing evaluation. The reprocessing of a target memory includes the use of alternating bilateral stimulation via eye movements, taps, or tones. After each set of movements the client briefly describes what s/he experienced. At the end of each session the client uses resources and techniques developed during the preparation phase in order to leave feeling empowered and in control.
