“We repeat what we don’t repair.” — Christine Langley-Obaugh
EMDR…what the heck is that? Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing, say what? If I haven’t lost you yet, stay tuned to hear about one of the most affective forms of therapy. Originally used to treat trauma, it is now used to treat a wide variety of mental health concerns, including but not limited to; PTSD, depression, anxiety, anger, grief, and OCD. EMDR helps isolate traumatic or disturbing memories, allowing them to be processed and relieved through eye movements and or tapping. EMDR does not require the patient to talk in detail about the disturbing experience. Instead, the patient recalls the traumatic event in their mind and associated negative cognitions about oneself connected to the disturbing memory. Through eye movements, known as bilateral stimulation, the inappropriate emotions, beliefs, and body sensations associated with the memory become desensitized and reprocessed with healthy adaptive beliefs.
