Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - A New Technique
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by: SuFox
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It was discovered by Francine Shapiro in 1987 in the USA. This technique has since become recognised and is used in trauma centres in many places, with much documented research attesting to its effectiveness.
This is what happens in an EMDR session
The patient provides a description of the trauma and is helped by the therapist to focus on the absolute worst aspect of it and the feeling that come with it. They then describe this internalised negative belief.
Let's take a man that had been caught up in a car accident who believed that he should have been more careful. He might be thinking 'I'm an idiot'. The client is then helped by the therapist to frame the belief that this man really wants, which could be something along the lines of 'I do my very best to make sure I'm safe.' These thought and feeling are given ratings on a scale of 1-10.
The client must keep in mind the negative thoughts and feeling as he holds on to the memory. He then watches as the practitioner moves his or her hand in front of the client's face in a series of movements. There is then a pause.
Whatever the client is thinking is spoken about, as well as his feelings and anything in his body. Then the therapist starts the hand movements again. This is repeated as often as necessary until nothing new is being observed or felt. Now it is time to return to the original thoughts and feelings and give them a rating again. Now an objective measure of change can be observed.
In what way does this work?
The brain, it appears, is not able to process the memories of trauma as it usually does. The memories get stuck in a place where they can be triggered easily - the limbic system. Stimulation of the brain bilaterally seems to help shift these memories to the cerebral cortex where ordinary memories are stored, thus losing their emotional charge.
Clients who've had EMDR treatment report that although the memory of what happened is still there, the frightening or unpleasant feelings that accompanied it have disappeared, and they feel generally better with themselves.
Eye movements are the usual mode of EMDR, but needn't be confined to this so long as other bilateral methods are employed. This includes tapping on hands or knees alternately, or headphones can be worn, and certain sounds listened to. EMDR can be used with great success with core beliefs and patterns that cannot be shifted with any amount of talk therapy.
For simple traumas like the road traffic accident example, the feelings can be processed in about 6 sessions. Traumas that are more complicated are treated better with an ongoing client/therapist relationship.
About the Author
Su Fox is an experienced UK psychotherapist and counsellor who can be contacted at london psychotherapy or london counselling. She is also author of a book for holistic practitioners: Relating To Clients.
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