Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing or EMDR is a dynamic and breakthrough therapy for healing trauma, emotional wounds, overcoming limitation, releasing hurt, fear, anger and resentment and finding creative solutions to complex issues.
Francine Shapiro, Psychologist, founded EMDR after noticing her stress diminish when her eyes went back and forth. It is a left brain-right brain process that combines back and forth eye movements, bi-lateral sound, or left-right tapping combined with holding an image of the event and the body sensations.
With ten plus years experience and training as a Certified EMDR therapist I consider this modality to be one of the most helpful and healing therapies available.
Traditional approaches include: talk therapy, CBT (Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy), intentionally changing thoughts and behaviors, systematic desensitization and exposure therapy. These approaches were developed without brain science information and have varying degrees of success.
EMDR relies on inner resources to bring about permanent healing rather than external resources such as medications that provide temporary relief. In fact, SPECT scans or brain scans of blood flow to the various regions of the brain show positive change and healing from EMDR.
I have used EMDR to help individuals heal traumas including the more severe such as physical abductions, torture and physical and sexual abuse to situations such as looking or feeling inferior, being put-down, teased or shame.
For more information: PsychologyToday.com