Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is an approach that can be helpful in resolving the symptoms of trauma.  The intrusive symptoms of trauma can include panic attacks, flashbacks, racing thoughts, and sleep disturbance as well as hypervigilance and paranoia. Traumatic memories are stored in the brain and can be triggered by seemingly unrelated events that then become part of a trauma reaction.

Originally pioneered for use with military veterans who witnessed combat, EMDR has been found to be effective with other types of trauma, as well as with both children and adults.  The eye movements that are facilitated in EMDR therapy help to access traumatic memories as well as healthy resource memories so that the trauma sufferer can make sense of the trauma, find relief from the trauma symptoms and move to a state of resolution.

For more information, please see the links below:

http://www.emdr.com/

http://www.emdria.org/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/

http://www.biolateral.com/enhance.htm