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EMDR Therapy
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

 
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
 
 Accelerates Emotional Healing
and Removes Emotional Blocks Effectively
 
 
 
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is used by a growing number of psychotherapists who find it highly effective for many different emotional difficulties.  It allows individuals to experience a life-altering shifts as their disturbing thoughts and feelings are efficiently processed.  Disturbing events and experiences that contribute to emotional difficulties no longer have the emotional impact after EMDR is complete.  As a result of EMDR work, lives can be transformed and symptoms of anxiety, depression, and trauma can be relieved.
 
 
 Introduction to EMDR Presentation Slides
 
 EMDR was discovered by a psychologist, Dr. Francine Shapiro 20 years ago.  It was originally developed for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) but now has been used in many other areas (listed below).  Clinical Studies have demonstrated it's effects in PTSD.  EMDR therapists have reported successful outcomes consistently since it's development while treating a wide range of client difficulties and disorders.  Recent studies involving CT and MRI scans have demonstrated positive changes in brain structures (particularly in the hippocampus) following resolution of traumatic memories.
 
EMDR is a full approach to therapy based on a theoretical model (the Adaptive Information Processing Model) just as other therapy approaches are also (e.g. Cognitive-Behavioral, Family systems , Gestalt,  and Psychodynamic therapies.) 
 
EMDR is unique in that it allows clients to fully process disturbing events and experiences that create psychological distress much more quickly and completely than traditional therapies.

Lyn's Training and Experience in EMDR
 
Lyn is fully certified in EMDR training (Part I and Part II training) through the EMDR Institute, and has taken specialized training in a number of areas including working with children/teens, couples, and clients with trauma, and/or early attachment issues.  She has been involved in the International EMDR Association (EMDRIA) as a program chair for the Child-Special Interest Group and as a member of the Research Committee, and attends the Annual EMDRIA conferences regularly.  She has given presentations on EMDR to local therapists and organizations and presented at the annual EMDRIA meeting with a panel of EMDR therapists in 2006.

EMDR is a therapy approach that has many applications.  Lyn has treated individuals using EMDR  for:
  • Depression, Anxiety/stress, Performance Anxiety, Panic Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive
    Disorder     and Phobias
  • Post-traumatic Stress Disorder 
  • Traumatic events and experiences (Tsunami's, Wars, Hurricanes)
  • Sexual, physical, and verbal abuse, and rape
  • Grief (prolonged, complicated, traumatic)
  • Fertility Difficulties and Failures
  • Dissociative disorders
  • Eating Disorders; anorexia/bullemia, overeating
  • Test or Interview Anxiety
  • Sports Performance Coaching-golf, equestrians, baseball
  • How Does the Procedure for EMDR Work?
  • Professional Performance Coaching-removing blocks to success that interfere with professional
    success.  For example, fears of public speaking, performance or social anxiety, inadequacies, anger, relational issues rooted in earlier life     

What is an EMDR Session Like?

An EMDR trained therapist works with a client first to identify the important issue, to prepare them for EMDR, and to develop a protocol which maps out the scope of the EMDR work.  One or more underlying disturbances or difficulties are identified for "reprocessing" (resolving the emotional impact of). An image that represents the disturbance is identified as well as the feelings, self-beliefs and body sensations that the client identifies with the disturbance or difficulty.

 

The client is asked to focus on the disturbing memory, event, or experience  (along with the emotions, thoughts, and sensations that are associated with the memory) while stimulating the brain with sounds, light, or taps on alternate sides.  For example,  stereo headphones with beeps alternating in each ear, or alternating taps on the client's hands or the use of vibrating tappers held in the hands or using a visual light bar with lights that flash across the head stimulating both sides of the brain are used.  As a result of the repeated bilateral stimulation, the memory becomes less intense and actually seems distant.  Sometimes the client will says things like "It doesn't bother me anymore" or it seems like it happened to someone else" or it seems about as disturbing as something that happened on television.
 

EMDR and Couples Therapy

Lyn is a fully trained EMDR therapist and sometimes employs EMDR in Couples Therapy. EMDR combines well within the family system framework which is a part of Lyn’s approach to therapy. EMDR can be particularly beneficial in family and couples therapy to resolve therapeutic impasses. This is particularly true for those impasses that are based on emotional blocks or traumas stemming from individual past events or experiences.  Often these experiences are related to earlier family-of-origin experiences and are either vaguely in or mostly out of awareness. EMDR safely brings them to the forefront in order to be reprocessed without the emotional charge that they held prior to EMDR treatment.

 

  • It has received the highest level of recommendation by the American Psychiatric Association.
  • EMDR is an Effective Form of Therapy for Trauma and is included in a list of “highly recommended treatments for trauma that is part of the  Department of Veterans Affairs & Department of Defense Practice Guidelines.
  • EMDR is recommended by national departments of mental health including those of Israel, Northern Ireland, United Kingdom, France, and Sweden.
  • The practice guidelines for the The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies found EMDR to be an efficacious treatment for PTSD (Post-traumatic stress disorder)."
     
  • "EMDR is the most revolutionary, important method to emerge in psychotherapy in decades." Herbert Fensterheim, Ph.D. Cornell University

    Where can I get more information on EMDR?
     
  •  Introduction to EMDR  Presentation Slides
    http://www.clintontherapist.citymax.com/emdr_presentation_slides.html
  • EMDR International at www.emdria.org
  • EMDR Institute www.emdr.com 
  • The Humanitarian Assistance Program (HAP) (for EMDR)  http://www.emdrhap.org

 

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