EMDR therapy was originally developed to treat post-traumatic stress disorders, including experiences of war. EMDR is used by Counsellors and Psychotherapists to help people with trauma that has occurred in personal lives or in professional lives.
EMDR was originally created as a treatment for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). However, it has been found to have far reaching applications for many different types of disorders.
EMDR therapy can be a very powerful treatment for people who have experienced trauma or traumas such as:
- violence
- natural disasters
- accidents
- abuse
- neglect in childhood
- surgery
- performance anxiety.
EMDR therapy can also help children to cope with trauma and crises.
The EMDR therapists stimulates both the left and right sides of the brain, using a range of techniques including hand movements, alternating lights or vibrating sensors, while the client recalls the event that is the cause of the trauma or traumas.
The effect of EMDR is similar to Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, during which the brain makes sense of the day’s events, reprocessing the memory and releasing negative emotions and associations.
