Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
WHAT IS EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing. It is a therapy used to help people recover from distressing events and the problems they have caused, like flashbacks, upsetting thoughts or images, depression or anxiety. EMDR is recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as a treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and the World Health Organisation (WHO), which also recognises it as an effective treatment for children.
HOW DOES EMDR WORK?
When a person is involved in a traumatic event, they may feel overwhelmed, and their brain may be unable to process what is happening. The memory of the event seems to become “stuck”, so it remains intense and vivid. The person can re-experience what they saw, heard and smelt and the full force of the distress they felt whenever the memory comes to mind.
EMDR aims to help the brain to become “unstuck” and reprocess the memory properly so that it is no longer so intense. It also helps to desensitise the person to the emotional impact of the memory so that they can think about the event without experiencing such strong feelings.
It does this by asking the person to recall the traumatic event while moving their eyes from side to side, hearing a sound in each ear alternately, or feeling a tap on each hand alternately. These side-to-side sensations seem to effectively stimulate the “stuck” processing system in the brain to reprocess the information more like an ordinary memory, reducing its intensity.
The effect may be similar to what occurs naturally during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep when your eyes move rapidly from side to side as the brain processes the events of the day. Some research suggests that EMDR is effective because concentrating on another task whilst processing a distressing memory gives the brain more work to do*. When the brain does not focus on processing the memory, it becomes less vivid. This allows the person to distance themselves from it and begin to remember the event in a more helpful and manageable way. EMDR is a complex therapeutic process that properly trained therapists should always deliver.
* e.g. Gunter & Bodner, 2008
HOW EFFECTIVE IS EMDR?
Research has shown that two or three therapy sessions can greatly reduce PTSD symptoms and the results can last for a long time (e.g. Ironson, Freund, Strauss, & Williams, 2002; Scheck, Schaeffer, & Gillette, 1998). However, individuals who have undergone multiple traumatic events or faced neglect and mistreatment during their childhood may require more sessions.
WHO CAN EMDR HELP?
EMDR is a highly effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that is widely used by the NHS, charitable organizations, the private sector, and the Ministry of Defence to help service personnel with PTSD. Additionally, EMDR can help treat various mental health problems such as depression or anxiety, particularly when a challenging life event has occurred. EMDR is beneficial for individuals who have witnessed or experienced events such as car accidents, violent crimes, sexual or emotional abuse, bullying, social humiliation, or the sudden loss of a loved one and are struggling to recover. It is suitable for adults, young people, and children, and can be an effective and simpler alternative for younger children who may find it difficult to engage with some forms of talking therapies.