EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

• Car accident victims
• Rape and sexual assault victims
• Armed Services individuals and families 
• Robbery victims
• Adults coping with memories of childhood abuse from their families
• Children and youths who witnessed family violence
• Individuals with fears such as of driving or dental appointments
• First responders to disaster sites such as police officers and fire fighters
• People with “low self-concepts”
• Grieving individuals
• Men and women, boys and girls
• People of all ages

Memory and brain research show that traumatic and/or highly emotional experiences are stored differently than pleasant or neutral experiences. Usually, talking about, thinking about, or maybe dreaming about a troubling experience resolves the situation.  Sometimes this process with traumatic memories and experiences is interrupted. Researchers think that EMDR brings about adaptive processing of ‘stuck’ disturbing memories. When the eyes move back and forth, or other bilateral stimulation is used, brain activity similar to Rapid Eye Movement sleep (REM Sleep) is created. During this REM phase of sleep, conflicts are resolved, information is processed, and learning and memory are consolidated. (In fact, disrupted REM sleep can lead to serious cognitive problems.) By creating similar brain activity while thinking about a disturbing memory, it appears that EMDR is able to help the brain completely process this 'stuck' material and consolidate a new understanding of the experience.