EMDR Therapy
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy
“Changing the memories that form the way we see ourselves also changes the way we view others. Therefore, our relationships, job performance, what we are willing to do or are able to resist, all move in a positive direction.”
— Francine Shapiro, EMDR Creator
EMDR is a psychotherapy method that has been researched and developed to help people safely heal from psychological and emotional trauma. EMDR therapy demonstrates that the mind can heal from psychological trauma in much the same way as the body recovers from physical trauma. EMDR therapy shows that the brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If this adaptive mental system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a traumatic event, the emotional wound can continue to cause intense emotional, cognitive, and physical suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes. Using the detailed protocols and procedures involved in this method, clients are able to activate their natural healing processes and move towards greater health.
EMDR therapy makes use of two important concepts: dual attention awareness (experiencing feeling safe in the present moment while also encountering difficult memories), and bilateral stimulation (provided by a hand-held tactile device that gently alternates stimulation from one side of the body to the other). Using these tools, clients are able to safely notice as targeted internal associations arise, and painful memories become less distressing on an emotional level. Clients also experience powerful cognitive insights as a result of their accelerated intellectual and emotional processing. EMDR is a powerful method, and can be integrated into the art making and image-based work practiced in art therapy.
