EMDR @ Peaceful Hearts Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a structured therapy that encourages the client to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (often eye movements, but other forms can also be employed), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the trauma memories. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences (Maxfield, 2019). EMDR therapy has even been superior to Prozac in trauma treatment (Van der Kolk et al., 2007). Shapiro and Forrest (2016) share that more than 7 million people have been treated successfully by 110,000 therapists in 130 countries since 2016. 

Yes, a wealth of research has been done with EMDR that supports it's effectiveness when compared to other well-researched therapies.

 The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the World Health Organization among many other national and international organizations recognize EMDR therapy as an effective treatment.  

Generally speaking, EMDR can be helpful to those who are experiencing increased distress in the present due to prior traumatic experiences. These traumas can be the events we typically associate with trauma such as exposure to violence, death, or abuse. However, they can also be events that we might call "smaller" or more commonplace, such as a childhood embarrassment or experiencing moral injury at work. It can even include the diagnosis of a chronic and/or life-limiting illness. If EMDR is something that you would like to discuss, please let us know. We are happy to discuss this during your visit. 

It is important to note that there are certain clinical presentations where a client may be best served by an external EMDR provider with specialized training. We want to make sure you receive the best possible care and part of that is recognizing when we can't meet your needs. In these cases we will work with you to find a great EMDR provider outside our practice who best suits your needs.