Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR)

What is an Eye Movement Desensitisation Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy?

EMDR therapy stands for eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing therapy. It is a type of psychotherapy that has been proven to be affective in treating psychological conditions, particularly post-traumatic stress disorder. Other conditions include: panic attacks, eating disorders, addictions and anxiety.

How is EMDR Therapy performed?

Each EMDR session usually lasts about 90 minutes. When you first meet your therapist they will spend time getting to know you and the kinds of distress you are experiencing. The therapist will move their fingers back and forth in front of your face and ask you to follow these motions with your eyes. Whilst the therapist is doing these hand movements they will then recall a disturbing event. The therapist usually does this by describing the emotions and sensations that go along with the event. They will then try and shift your thoughts to more pleasant ones. The therapy theoretically works by inducing the recall of distressing events and then diverting their attention from the emotional consequences.

How to prepare for EMDR Therapy?

There is not much you can do to prepare for the procedure. You should be prepared to talk about distressing events; some people will find this disturbing.

What happens after EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy does not just stop immediately after your session. It may trigger a lot of memories to come into your mind; this may cause you to feel distressed for a day or two. During this period it is important to take care of yourself and use relaxation techniques when necessary. It is recommended that you don’t do anything too stressful after the therapy. As the distress decreases you ay feel a sense of relief.