This year I got to consult about EMDR Therapy on Showtime's compelling tv series, "The Affair." The writers, actors and I worked together to explain the therapy in a way to hopefully make sense to audiences.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was discovered by Francine Shapiro, PhD in 1988. The technique has a direct effect on the way the brain processes information, releasing emotional experiences that are trapped in the nervous system.
When your eyes follow the back-and-forth movements of the therapist's fingers or you hold vibrating buzzers in each of your hands, a process called "bilateral stimulation" of the brain begins. This brain state is similar to that seen during REM sleep, in which we activate more distant associations than in the normal waking state. The process gives us access to loosely associated memories and images from our past similar to when we're dreaming.
This helps you put traumatic experiences into a larger context or perspective. You are able to observe your experiences in a new way and heal from trauma without the usual blocks.
This can be for something specific, like a traumatic event, or for entrenched patterns that don't seem to change, such as persistent negative beliefs.
Wondering if it could work for you? Please reach out with questions!
