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EMDR

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What is EMDR?

EMDR Therapy (or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy) is an integrative therapy that helps people heal from Traumatic events as well as, life disturbing experiences. Discovered by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR Therapy has gotten worldwide attention for helping millions of people heal from PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) caused from traumatic events, such as; rape, sexual abuse, auto accidents and combat. EMDR Therapy can also help people who feel distress in their lives to heal and feel more whole after events that have been disturbing such as; divorce, life transitions, grief, anxiety and much more.

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​When people are experiencing distress in their lives and can’t find a way to fix it on their own they end up coming in for EMDR Therapy. Sometimes events happen in a person’s life and he/she struggles to find a way to integrate that incident. 

That event can become an unprocessed memory and get stored in the brain creating symptoms that are uncomfortable. Physical sensations, emotions, thoughts, and images associated with the event can get locked into the brain, and without treatment, may lead to distressing symptoms and behaviors.

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EMDR Therapy is designed to help a person identify and process these stuck pieces so that the symptoms can decrease and one can feel more alive and less distressed. EMDR Therapy helps facilitate the activation of the brain’s inherent system to process and integrate the information that got stored or stuck. EMDR Therapy will not erase the memory; rather you will be able to remember the story without all the emotional charge that was distressing before the treatment.
 

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Is EMDR effective? And who is it for?

Studies show that, yes, it can work for a lot of people. Major psychological and health organizations endorse the use of EMDR as a treatment for trauma, specifically: The World Health Organization, the Veterans Administration, and the American Psychological Association have each recommended it for people with PTSD and issued guidelines for administering it.


Ongoing research and anecdotal evidence suggest it may also be a helpful tool for addressing other mental health concerns, including substance use disorders, anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and chronic pain.

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EMDR therapy can be used to treat:

  • Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias

  • Chronic illness and medical issues

  • Depression and bipolar disorders

  • Dissociative disorders

  • Eating disorders

  • Grief and loss

  • Pain

  • Performance anxiety

  • Personality disorders

  • PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues

  • Sexual assault

  • Violence and abuse

  • Sleep disturbance

  • Substance abuse and addition

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