Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing - A New Technique

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is a long and unwieldy name for a new therapeutic tool that is amazingly quick and easy to use.

EMDR was discovered in the late 1980s by and American, Francine Shapiro. It is now used in trauma centres in many countries, with a good deal of research to back up its effectiveness.

What happens in an EMDR session?

The client goes through the process of describing the traumatic memory. The practitioner helps them to concentrate on the most grave aspect and the feelings that go with it. They then describe the negative belief that may have become internalised as a result.

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.

How does EMDR 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 have received this form of treatment state that the memory has not gone away but the unpleasant or frightening feelings that came with it have gone, and they feel a lot 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 a simple trauma, like a road traffic accident, six sessions may be all that is needed to process the feelings. More complex trauma is best treated in an on going therapeutic relationship.

About the Author

Su Fox is an experienced British psychotherapist and counsellor who can be contacted at london psychotherapy or london counselling. She is also writer of a book for complementary therapists: Relating To Clients.