EMDR
Practical, Effective and Evidence Based Therapy
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a psychotherapy that has been around since 1987 and has received an abundance of supportive research.
It has been shown to be extremely effective in treating trauma (PTSD) and trauma related conditions such as specific fears, anxieties and depression; that are traced back to early painful memories.
It is recommended by the UK’s National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) and is offered across the country in NHS mental health services.
Only clinicians who have attended accredited courses (by EMDR UK and Ireland Association) and supervised by a Consultant EMDR practitioner are allowed to practice.
How does it work?
Eye movements, similar to those during REM sleep, will be recreated by asking you to watch the therapist’s finger moving backwards and forwards across your visual field, while you recall the painful memory. This utilises the bodies natural ability to process painful memories, mimicking the natural healing process of REM sleep. This approach can also be used with tappers or sound, to achieve a bilateral stimulation.
There is also more information to be found at the UK and Ireland EMDR Association https://emdrassociation.org.uk/.
Please watch the below video for more information. It has been produced by the Europe EMDR Association.