CT COUNSELORS & WELLNESS CENTER
A collaborative group of independent practitioners serving the mind, body and spirit.
What is EMDR?
What is the goal of EMDR?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro, which emphasizes disturbing memories as the cause of psychopathology and alleviates the symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Who benefits from EMDR?
EMDR is used for individuals who have experienced severe trauma which remains unresolved. According to Shapiro, when a traumatic or distressing experience occurs, it may overwhelm normal cognitive and neurological coping mechanisms. The memory and associated stimuli are inadequately processed, and stored in an isolated memory network.
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EDMR was originally developed to treat adults suffering with PTSD, however, it can also be used to treat children.
The goal of EMDR therapy is to process these distressing memories, reducing their lingering effects and allowing clients to develop more adaptive coping mechanisms. This is done by having clients recall traumas while following the therapist's hand movement.
