EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing
For more information go to: www.emdria.org or www.emdr.com
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been used for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from many different treatment approaches. To date, EMDR has helped an estimated two million people of all ages relieve many types of psychological stress. Successful outcomes are well-documented in the literature for EMDR treatment of other psychiatric disorders, mental health problems, and somatic symptoms.
The model on which EMDR is based, Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), posits that much of psychopathology is due to the maladaptive encoding of and/or incomplete processing of traumatic or disturbing adverse life experiences. This impairs the client’s ability to integrate these experiences in an adaptive manner. The eight-phase, three-pronged process of EMDR facilitates the resumption of normal information processing and integration. This treatment approach, which targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges, results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.
EMDR Psychotherapy Guidelines: EMDR procedures facilitate the effective reprocessing of traumatic
events or adverse life experiences and associated beliefs, to an adaptive resolution. Specific
procedural steps are used to access and reprocess information which incorporates alternating
bilateral visual, auditory, or tactile stimulation. These well-defined treatment procedures and
protocols facilitate information reprocessing. EMDR utilizes an 8-phase, 3-pronged, approach to
treatment that optimizes sufficient client stabilization before, during, and after the reprocessing of
distressing and traumatic memories and associated stimuli. The intent of the EMDR approach to
psychotherapy is to facilitate the client’s innate ability to heal. Therefore, during memory
reprocessing, therapist intervention is kept to the minimum necessary for the continuity of
information reprocessing.
The model on which EMDR is based, Adaptive Information Processing (AIP), posits that much of psychopathology is due to the maladaptive encoding of and/or incomplete processing of traumatic or disturbing adverse life experiences. This impairs the client’s ability to integrate these experiences in an adaptive manner. The eight-phase, three-pronged process of EMDR facilitates the resumption of normal information processing and integration. This treatment approach, which targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges, results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.
EMDR Psychotherapy Guidelines: EMDR procedures facilitate the effective reprocessing of traumatic
events or adverse life experiences and associated beliefs, to an adaptive resolution. Specific
procedural steps are used to access and reprocess information which incorporates alternating
bilateral visual, auditory, or tactile stimulation. These well-defined treatment procedures and
protocols facilitate information reprocessing. EMDR utilizes an 8-phase, 3-pronged, approach to
treatment that optimizes sufficient client stabilization before, during, and after the reprocessing of
distressing and traumatic memories and associated stimuli. The intent of the EMDR approach to
psychotherapy is to facilitate the client’s innate ability to heal. Therefore, during memory
reprocessing, therapist intervention is kept to the minimum necessary for the continuity of
information reprocessing.