EMDR therapy is an effective treatment option for people suffering from anxiety, panic, PTSD or trauma. It's a way to overcome your past. According to the EMDR Research Foundation, EMDR has been clinically validated by more than 30 randomized and controlled studies (the gold standard for clinical trials). The effectiveness of EMDR for PTSD is an extremely controversial topic among researchers, as the available evidence can be interpreted in several ways.
On the one hand, studies have shown that EMDR results in a greater reduction in PTSD symptoms compared to untreated control groups. On the other hand, existing methodologically sound research comparing EMDR with exposure therapy without eye movements has found no difference in results. Therefore, it seems that while EMDR is effective, the mechanism of change may be exposure, and eye movements may be an unnecessary addition. If EMDR is simply an exposure therapy with a superfluous addition, the question arises as to whether the dissemination of EMDR is beneficial to patients and the field.
However, EMDR advocates insist that it has empirical support and is more efficient than traditional treatments for PTSD. In any case, more concrete scientific evidence supporting the proposed mechanisms is needed before the EMDR controversy rises. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a fairly new and non-traditional type of psychotherapy. EMDR was initially developed in the late 1980s by psychologist Francine Shapiro to treat post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), EMDR therapy is effective in treating symptoms of PTSD. EMDR is based on the adaptive information processing (AIP) model, a theory about how the brain stores memories. The therapist will lay the groundwork for treatment by establishing a therapeutic relationship with the client and educating them about EMDR. After the therapist and client agree that EMDR therapy is a good option, the client will work through the eight phases of EMDR therapy with their therapist.
Dozens of clinical trials since the development of EMDR prove that this technique is effective and can help a person faster than many other methods. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) refers to an interactive psychotherapy technique used to relieve psychological stress. Given the worldwide recognition as an effective treatment for trauma, you can easily see how EMDR therapy would be effective in treating the “everyday memories” that are why people have low self-esteem, feelings of powerlessness, and all the myriad problems that lead them to therapy. EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a psychotherapy that allows people to heal from symptoms and emotional distress that result from disturbing life experiences.
The APA Clinical Practice Guideline for the Treatment of PTSD Conditionally Recommends EMDR (PDF, 1 MB). This theory, developed by Francine Shapiro, PhD, who also developed EMDR, recognizes that the brain stores normal and traumatic memories differently. Organizations such as WHO, APA and the Department of Veterans Affairs are currently recommending EMDR as a treatment option for PTSD. Therapists have been using EMDR for more than 25 years to treat PTSD and other mental health conditions.
EMDR therapy differs from other trauma-focused treatments in that it does not include prolonged exposure to distressing memory, detailed descriptions of trauma, challenging dysfunctional beliefs, or task assignments. .
