EMDR therapy is a method used in the treatment of traumas whose abbreviated name comes from English and means “desensitization and reprocessing through eye movements”. we are going to discuss about the history of emdr therapy and how we provide emdr therapy in London.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
The technique was created by Dr. Francine Shapiro , at the beginning of the 80s and was initially used in the case of war veterans’ traumas, but very soon it proved to be very effective in the treatment of all symptoms related to stress and trauma (for post-traumatic stress symptoms , such as the feeling of trauma withdrawal, nightmares, panic attacks, obsessive thoughts, anxiety and phobias, depression, aggression, restlessness, sleep problems – whatever symptom you mean when you think of “stress”).
It has been widely studied and accepted by health and government associations in the United States and most European countries. In 2004, it was recommended by the APA (American Psychiatric Association) as an effective treatment in trauma therapy and recently it was officially approved by the World Health Organization and included in the list of treatments recommended in trauma therapy.
Here, in short, is what it is all about:
All the experiences we have lived are stored in the mind and in the brain, in our neural network. Some of the experiences that overwhelmed us at a given moment remained stored in a form that we call “unprocessed”. These are experiences whose memory can be fully or partially conscious or about which we now know nothing, but they are always associated with different emotions, sensations and negative beliefs – which can dominate our reactions and behavior in the present, as if we were functioning on autopilot. Very often, as adults, we react in our interactions with people and in various situations, retrieving, in fact, without realizing it, emotions and sensations from another period of life, which influence us unconsciously.
Therefore, if we manage to identify and process these memories we can truly live in the present, not in the past. In addition, we can have easier access to our resources and positive experiences.
In her book, Healing traumas from the past , Dr. Francine Shapiro explains in detail and in an accessible language what EMDR therapy means , how it works, what are its main goals and in what type of situations it can be applied.
You will discover the logic behind seemingly “irrational” reactions, why time does NOT heal all wounds, and, once we understand how we actually function, what we can do about our unpleasant or difficult symptoms. You will discover self-calming techniques for agitated states and methods with the help of which you can mostly identify the unprocessed memories that are currently influencing you.
Francine Shapiro says that there are usually no more than 10-20 main memories that are responsible for the pain and suffering in our lives . With the help of case examples, you can discover negative beliefs formed a long time ago that guide you “from the shadows” in your present reactions and the way you perceive yourself, other people and the world. You’ll discover why you can’t make some choices, you’ll learn a lot of extremely useful information about the brain-body-mind connection, how old experiences influence current relationships as a couple or family, and how EMDR therapy can help people who are going through a significant loss.
