Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

by Terri L. Gerber, LICSW

E.M.D.R. stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. Dr. Francine Shapiro developed and introduced it in 1989. Since its introduction, the approach has been taught to over 20,000 clinicians in the United States and more world wide. There has been and continues to be controlled research with positive outcomes.

Although the current knowledge of neurobiology does not provide a definitive explanation, Dr. Shapiro theorizes that its effects are connected to the same processes that occur in REM sleep. (In REM sleep we dream, and through dreaming we process our day, our week, our lives). Bi-lateral stimulation, whether it be visual (using eye movements), auditory, or right to left tactile movements, a person begins to reprocess an event. Reprocess as in think about, feel about, and/or possibly re-experience body sensations that is part of the memory. As the person re-processes, they often re-think the incident with more perspective. Cognitive distortions around the event are recognized and corrected. Irrational, negative beliefs a person feels about themselves that were present at the time are re-assessed and re-worked. Ultimately, a person sees the event in a much less disturbing way. There is an adult perspective and wisdom integrated into the original experience. On a scale from zero to ten, a memory that can still be rated a "10" today can be brought down to a "0" in disturbance after E.M.D.R.

Although re-processing certain events in one’s life can be difficult and painful, with E.M.D.R. the processing is accelerated. What may take months to process in a traditional therapy, can be understood, resolved and completed in a 90 minute session. (This, of course, varies depending on the incident, the person, the complexity of the issue.) But the therapy and relief from symptoms or emotional pain definitely comes about more quickly with E.M.D.R. Studies show that this resolution holds; it is not temporary.

E.M.D.R. has proven to help alleviate symptoms of post traumatic disorder, phobias, depression. But its benefits are not limited to the effects of obvious trauma. This therapy also helps address and resolve what Dr. Shapiro calls the "little t traumas." These are the more common, disturbing past experiences that can be responsible for behaviors, anxiety, stress, and limiting beliefs that negatively affect people’s lives today.

E.M.D.R. has been hailed as the most important method to emerge in psychotherapy in decades. It is altering therapists’ and researchers’ ideas of how the mind works and how the psyche heals. Having utilized this approach with my clients since 1997, I must say that I am very excited about it. I have seen clients resolve issues, disentangle the multi-layers of addiction, discard old, unwanted beliefs about themselves and cognitively as well as emotionally adopt new, positive beliefs that have wonderful positive repercussions. I am always very happy and hopeful when I utilize E.M.D.R. as a part of a person’s treatment.