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EDMR

Unfortunately many of us have had life experiences that block our ability to feel at peace on a regular basis. Some of us have insight into what may be unhelpful, but feel stuck or powerless to change it. This block may come from serious trauma, or from not having had parents who understood how to adequately support us when we were young. The problem with painful past memories is that if they are not healthfully processed, the emotion will get stored in the brain or body in a way that leads to dysfunction and pain in the present. You may have sensed this when you see yourself overreacting to something that does not merit such a strong response, or get a stomach ache, headache or other bodily pain when feeling distressed. 

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) was developed in 1987 as a treatment for reducing/eliminating distressing memories and their ability to impact one’s emotions, feelings and beliefs in the present. Most of us consciously or unconsciously are affected by past events. These past events shape our view of ourselves and our environment in the present. Negative past experiences can cause us to have distorted views in the present and result in feelings or beliefs such as, “I am not good enough,” or “I am bad,” that we are powerless or helpless, and/or feeling unsafe even if there is no current threat. 

One of the best aspects of EMDR is that it is highly effective in a very short period of time. As opposed to years of therapy, EMDR can target a problematic belief, memory or behavior and reduce or eliminate it within a few sessions.

Reading about EMDR may make it sound like hypnosis or a magic trick, but it is neither. Numerous studies have been conducted on the efficacy of EMDR and it is now recognized as a highly effective tool to address a wide range of conditions including:

  • PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder)
  • Panic Disorder
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Conduct problems and self-esteem
  • Performance anxiety
  • Attachment Disorders
  • And many others

Being unwanted, unloved, uncared for, forgotten by everybody, I think that is a much greater hunger, a much greater poverty than the person who has nothing to eat.

–Mother Teresa