What Is EMDR and How Does It Work for Trauma Therapy?

In this video we will talk about EMDR — what is it and how does it work. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. It is an advanced mind body therapy for healing PTSD, trauma, anxiety, unhealthy habits and a range of psychological issues. It was founded by Francine Shapiro in 1987 and is considered one of the most well-researched mind body strategies for trauma. A key component of EMDR is bilateral stimulation which refers to the alternating stimulation of the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This is the crux of what makes EMDR work. Through rapid tactile, visual or auditory bilateral stimulation, the brain accesses and releases stored traumatic and stressful information. This type of information is not generally accessed with traditional talk therapy approaches. Talk based approaches don’t access the parts of the brain where trauma is stored. The EMDR practitioner may use tactile sensors called tappers, a light machine, their hands or headphones for bilateral stimulation. The strategy itself follows a specific series of steps and stages. As part of this process, the client focuses on a stressful or traumatic issue while experiencing bilateral stimulation. The client is guided to repeatedly re-experience the issue while being guided through the steps in the process. These steps allow the therapist and the client to track the productivity throughout the session. EMDR is a powerful evidence-based strategy for healing PTSD, trauma and stress. Many clients report they are able to release and resolve long standing traumatic memories and stressful issues.