Russell Dicks

Trauma and Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR)

EMDR is a stand-alone psycho-therapeutic treatment which can also be used in conjunction with traditional models of psychotherapy and counselling. It was initially developed to be used with sufferers of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) following traumatic events in their lives such as road traffic accidents, natural disasters, experiences of war and violence, physical and sexual assault and public disasters. In March 2005 it was validated by the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) as a treatment of choice for PTSD (see www.nice.org.uk ).

EMDR has been developed to treat many other areas of psychological and emotional disturbance. These include symptoms of anxiety and depression, panic attacks, stress, phobias, sleep problems, complicated grief and performance anxiety. It can help people to improve their self-confidence and lead more positive and emotionally balanced lives.

During an EMDR treatment, the therapist will help the client to target a specific problem to work on. The work then facilitates the reprocessing of psychological and emotional material in relation to this target. During this reprocessing the client typically experiences some resolution to the problem and symptoms they feel. It is important to dispel a view that EMDR is a ‘miracle cure'. However, it is a powerful form of therapy which can have very significant effects on clients' psychological and emotional well-being. It can be especially helpful for clients who find traditional models of therapy difficult to use as there is less emphasis on talking.

If you would like more information, you can visit the following website:
www.emdrassociation.org