EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy is a breakthrough yet completely natural technique for helping a client free blocked emotional energy so he/she can move toward healing and peace. 

Reports show that it has been highly effective in treating clients who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) or have undergone extremely traumatic situations.  These include crime victims and police officers who have retained violent memories of the crimes; people who have witnessed or been victims of disaster (natural ones such as floods, hurricanes, and earthquakes as well as those inflicted by humans such as rape, murder, and assault); sufferers of phobias, anxiety attacks, and panic disorders; accident or burn victims; and persons who have experienced the devastating loss of their homes or loved ones (due to fire, divorce, or death).  It has likewise been successfully used to treat chemically dependent clients. 

EMDR also has a high level of success in treating conditions involving depression, performance anxiety, constant brooding or worrying, low self-esteem, bad temper, relationship problems, sleep problems, illness, or injury.

During treatment, the therapist gently asks the client to revisit the traumatic moment/s and recall the feelings and thoughts that accompanied them.  EMDR releases these emotional experiences that are trapped in the nervous system by repeatedly activating opposite sides of the brain.  This is accomplished through bilateral stimulation, tactile stimulation, or right/left eye movement.  Negative memories are processed by the client while he/she tracks the movement of the therapist’s fingers and gradually lose their intensity as negative images and painful feelings are replaced by the positive images and peaceful, loving emotions offered by the therapist.

If you would like to work with a counsellor or psychologist who uses EMDR, visit our Counselling in EMDR page to search for counsellors in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, Perth, Adelaide and country areas of Australia.