EMDR Therapy?

[caption id="attachment_1967" align="alignright" width="300"] Benefits of EMDR Therapy

EMDR Therapy Can Help[/caption] EMDR therapy, which stands for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro. This form of therapy has helped numerous people suffering from trauma and PTSD. It has been extensively researched and has been able to help treat millions of people struggling from various struggles including but not limited to:

Anxiety
Panic Attacks
Phobias
Peak Performance Anxiety
Grief
Painful Memories
Stress Reduction

There is a wonderful and credible resource that goes into greater detail about EMDR, its benefits, the science behind it, and how it helps. It's called EMDRIA - EMDR International Association. It's based in Austin, TX and its website has an abundance of credible information.

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

EMDR is different than talk therapy in that it uses bilateral stimulation (which simply means moving from right-left, right-left; similar to what your eyes do when you're sleeping and in what's known as REM sleep (rapid eye movement). This right-left, right-left (bilateral stimulation) is done through:

Eye Movements- moving your eyes right and left
Tapping - use of hand held pulsers or tappers that provide a gentle pulse from one hand to the other
Auditory - sounds that go from one ear to the other

Through this bilateral stimulation process, our brain is able to reprocess moments that have been "stuck" or "frozen in time." The brain is able to process information and allow a person's natural healing ability to take place.

Finding an EMDR Therapist

If you're interested in learning more about how this therapy works and how it can help, please contact a therapist that is trained in EMDR therapy that can help answer your questions and specific needs. For a list of EMDR therapists, please visit the EMDR International Association's website. If you live in Austin, TX, or the surrounding areas, and are interested in learning more, please feel free to contact me.

*Blog is intended for educational and informational purposes only. By: Anna McElearney, LMFT