Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a proven and highly-effective integrative psychotherapy approach that treats trauma and many other mental health disorders and symptoms such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, ADHD, etc. The goal of EMDR therapy is to completely process the experiences that are causing you problems and to arrive at a place of understanding, perspective and acceptance.
Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
Chronic Illness and medical issues
Depression and bipolar disorders
Dissociative disorders
Eating disorders
Grief and loss
Pain
Performance anxiety
Personality disorders
PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues
Sexual assault
Sleep disturbance
Substance abuse and addiction
Violence and abuse
— Christine Langley Obaugh
You will be asked to focus on a specific event and give attention to a negative image, belief, emotion, or body feeling related to this event, and then guided to introduce a positive belief that would indicate the issue was resolved.
While focusing on the upsetting event, your therapist will begin sets of side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or taps. From there you will be guided to notice what comes to mind after each set. This may result in a shift in how you feel, perceive or remember the event.
A typical EMDR therapy session lasts from 60-90 minutes. EMDR therapy may be used within a standard talking therapy, as an adjunctive therapy with a separate therapist, or as a treatment all by itself.
