EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a highly-effective and researched-backed technique used for trauma, phobias, post traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and other issues. If you think you might benefit from EMDR contact me and let's talk about it. In the meantime, see my resources below and check out the EMDR International Association website for more information. I am an EMDRIA-certified EMDR therapist.

Trauma Treatment Guidelines


EMDR therapy is recommended as an effective treatment for PTSD and other trauma and stressor disorders by the following organizations. These treatment guidelines are based on reviews that evaluate research of established evidence-based mental health treatments.

American Psychiatric Association. (2004). Practice guideline for the treatment of patients with acute stress disorder and posttraumatic stress disorder. Retrieved from: https://www.apa.org/ptsd-guideline/ptsd.pdf

Department of Veterans Affairs & Department of Defense. The Management of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder Work Group. (2017). VA/DoD clinical practice guideline for the management of post-traumatic stress disorder and acute stress disorder. Office of Quality and Performance publication. doi:10Q-CPG/PTSD-04 Retrieved from: https://www.healthquality.va.gov/guidelines/MH/ptsd/

International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies. (2018). PTSD prevention and treatment guidelines methodology and recommendations. Oakbrook Terrace, IL: ISTSS. Retrieved from: https://www.istss.org/treating-trauma/new-istss-prevention-and-treatment-guidelines.aspx

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services America. (2012). Comparative effectiveness research series. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: An information resource. SAMHSA's National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. (2013). Psychological therapies for chronic post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in adults. Issue 12. Article no. CD003388. doi:10.1002/14651858.CD003388.pub4. Retrieved from: https://www.cochrane.org/CD003388/DEPRESSN_psychological-therapies-chronic-post-traumatic-stress-disorder-ptsd-adults
 
World Health Organization. (2013). Guidelines for the management of conditions specifically related to stress. Geneva: WHO. Retrieved from: https://www.who.int/mental_health/emergencies/stress_guidelines/en/

EMDR is also found effective by the United Kingdom Department of Health, Australian Centre for Post-traumatic Mental Health, Dutch National Steering Committee for Health Care, Israeli National Council for Mental Health, and many other international health and governmental agencies. Research has shown that EMDR can be an efficient and rapid treatment.

What are some of the concerns for which EMDR can help?
(not an exhaustive list)

Overt Trauma
  • serious injury
  • life-threatening experiences
  • sexual violence
  • catastrophic losses
  • sexual abuse
  • physical abuse
  • severe neglect
  • catastrophic or complicated birthing
  • miscarriage
  • humiliations
  • bullying
  • domestic violence
  • catastrophic accidents
  • products of nature (e.g., flooding, hurricanes, tornadoes)
  • witnessing any of these experiences

Less Overt (and highly impactful) Trauma
  • emotional neglect
  • medical procedures
  • lack of predictability
  • inconsistency
  • feeling ignored or invisible
  • lack of healthy boundaries
  • enmeshment
  • role reversal (kids having to act as the parent to their parents)
  • overprotection (helicopter parenting)