EMDR is a type of therapy for recovering from traumas, big and small. Negative emotions, feelings and behaviors are generally caused by unresolved, and sometimes traumatic, experiences. The goal of EMDR therapy is to explore the experiences, beliefs and emotions that created your current discomfort. The negative emotions, beliefs, and body sensations are discarded and what is useful from an experience will be learned and stored in the brain. New and useful emotions and thoughts emerge and replace the old.

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     For example, feelings of shame and fear voiced by a rape victim at the beginning of EMDR may be replaced by the feeling that she is a strong and resilient woman. Feelings of worthlessness when you talk to your boss or your partner are replaced with feelings of self-confidence and self-worth.

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     Most of us acquired negative beliefs about ourselves early in life that may now hold us back from experiencing our full potential, cause self-defeating behavior, or cause conflict in our relationships. EMDR helps re-process negative beliefs and allows us to attain our goals and have more satisfying relationships.

 

EMDR is supported by research.

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     * The effectiveness of E.M.D.R. therapy has been well established as the result of randomized controlled studies.

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     * E.M.D.R. therapy is recommended as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder in the practice guidelines of a wide range of organizations, like the American Psychiatric Association (in 2004), the Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense (in 2010), the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies (in 2009), and other organizations worldwide, including in Britain, France, the Netherlands and Israel.

 

     * See Links for more information on EMDR, go to EMDR.org