About EMDR
EMDR is used to treat troubling symptoms such as anxiety, depression, guilt,
anger, and post traumatic reactions. It can also be used to enhance emotional
resources such as confidence and self-esteem.
EMDR has been successful with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
(PTSD), phantom limb pain, trauma, childhood wounds, including abuse, irrational
thoughts,
fears,
phobias,
and
anxiety. Yet
EMDR is relatively
new and we are stilllearningabout the limits of itseffectiveness. Currently,
the use of EMDR with chronic pain, asthma, and learning disabilities is
being explored.
While we are not sure of the physiological basis of EMDR, we are postulating
a theory. If you were to cut yourself, your body would heal naturally,
unless bacteria infected the wound. Perhaps the mind also has a method
for self-healing
during Rapid Eye Movement (REM) Sleep. During the night, the mind processes
the events of the day, sorting out the irrational or useless information,
resolving experiences, and storing it in the appropriate place in memory.
When we are traumatized, the event is "frozen" in the mind, unable
to be processed and resolved naturally, and the mind stays on "Red Alert".
The result is upsetting thoughts and symptoms, as well as emotional distress.
EMDR facilitates healing by helping people to connect to their own
adaptive information processing system.
See the EMDR Institute's Efficacy
page and also a News
Clip about PTSD and EMDR. More clips are available at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LM_nw5N3n-I
Physiology of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
PRDS and EMDR Edit