What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy treatment that was originally designed to alleviate the distress associated with traumatic memories. Since its inception, EMDR has been expanded to treat a wide variety of psychological conditions and issuesincluding (but not limited to) phobias, nightmares, pain, anxiety, and panic. EMDR can also be used for stress reduction, relaxation training, and performance enhancement.
EMDR is founded on the premise that each person has both an innate tendency to move toward health and wholeness, and the inner capacity to achieve it. EMDR is grounded in psychological science and is informed by both psychological theory and research on the brain.
EMDR is used within an 8-phase approach to treatment in order to insure sufficient client stabilization and reevaluation before, during, and after processing of distressing material.
EMDR is a process rather than a standalone technique. EMDR occurs within the ongoing therapeutic relationship and unfolds according to the needs and resources of the client.
EMDR employs alternating left-right, bilateral eye movements, tones, or kinesthetic stimuli combined with other specific steps in a defined therapeutic protocol. The bilateral sensory stimuli promote adaptive information processing - a state of balanced or dual attention between internally accessed information and external sensations. In this state the recipient (therapy client) is able to access new information and associations which eventually leads to resolution of distress, increased insight, and enhanced subjective well-being.
Dr. Gamble has been using EMDR since taking the training in 2001. She became EMDRIA certified in 2003.
For more information on EMDR go to www.emdr.org or www.emdria.org