“The aim of EMDR treatment is to achieve the most profound and comprehensive treatment effects in the shortest period of time.”(from EMDRIA)

Francine Shapiro, Ph.D., a psychologist developed Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and named it after the use of eye movements.  More recently, she and others have found that eye movements (focusing the eyes quickly to the right and left) are not necessary.  Instead, the therapist can use bilateral stimulation (taps on hands or audio tones) besides eye movements.  Researchers and therapists have advanced various neurophysiological theories on how EMDR works.  While this mechanism is still unclear, there is abundant research, including control groups to demonstrate the efficacy of EMDR, particularly for single-incident trauma and trauma-based disorders. Recently, a study in a juried journal (van der Kolk, B, et al, 2007) compared the effectiveness of Prozac and EMDR for the treatment of anxiety and depression with randomized clinical trials. EMDR was more successful than Prozac in achieving sustained reductions in Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and depressive symptoms, but this benefit was primarily for adult-onset trauma survivors, as compared to child-onset trauma subjects.  Six months after therapy ended, 75.0% of the adult-onset versus 33.3% of child-onset trauma subjects receiving EMDR were asymptomatic compared to none in the group which had been given Prozac.

At another time, International expert on the treatment of trauma, Bessel van der Kolk  said:

"The speed at which change occurs during EMDR contradicts the traditional notion of time as essential for psychological healing.  EMDR has integrated elements from many different schools of psychotherapy into its protocols, making EMDR applicable to a variety of clinical populations."

What “schools” of psychotherapy (that is, what approaches to psychotherapy) are part of EMDR? EMDR includes the use of childhood background and dream material, when applicable, all borrowed from psychodynamic therapy.  EMDR targets present stimuli and uses desensitization, similar to behavior in these ways.  EMDR attends to cognitive and negative self-attributions, and in this way builds on cognitive therapy.  There is also a here-and-now experiential focus, a body-oriented focus, and an integration of treatment.  Overall, EMDR is a structured methodology with an information processing theory which Shapiro explains is based on an interaction between body and mind.  She sees all pathology and dysfunction (excluding those based on chemicals or organic) as caused by information maladaptively stored in the brain.  Therefore, the goal of EMDR treatment is to reduce and eliminate negative thoughts and associated feelings, and to increase positive thinking.

Major residential mental health centers are using EMDR.  For example, the Menninger Clinic, The Meadows, and Renfrew Center have EMDR as a component of treatment at their nationally known centers. Additionally, the  American Red Cross and the FBI endorse EMDR, and it is regularly used in Veterans Administration Centers.

People often ask if EMDR is a form of hypnosis.  It differs from hypnosis in that the EMDR client has awareness and control of the process.  EMDR does not attempt to create an altered state.

For more information on EMDR, please check the website: http://www.emdr.org/efficacy.htm