When used within a group set-up, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), is a key intervention to enhance psychological healing and resilience. Used with children, adolescents and adults, in its original and adapted formats, EMDR has…
The Sri Lankan society is hugely affected by combat related stress as a result of the 30 year armed conflict. Combatants as well as a large number of civilians including members of the LTTE have undergone a tremendous amount of war related stress for…
In the Sri Lankan conflict, the impact of war and extreme stress on civilian population has been highlighted over the years. However, war traumas experienced by the combatants were not adequately shown. Over the past few decades, some extreme reports…
On December 26, 2004, an earthquake in the Indian Ocean triggered a catastrophic tsunami. In Sri Lanka, 35,000 people died, 21,000 were injured, and more than half a million were displaced. An EMDR training program was conducted as a joint project of…
After the 2004 tsunami devastation in Sri Lanka, many citizens experienced severe psychological reactions. The effectiveness of EMDR is illustrated in the treatment of 7 of these individuals: 3 children and 2 adults with PTSD symptoms and 2 adults…
This paper discusses the therapeutic effects of EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is a relatively new trauma management method that has been used to treat Sri Lankan combatants with PTSD and other trauma related disorders.…
Twelve days after the 26th of December 2004 a couple came to my private practice, on referral from Prof. Dr. Ad de Jongh. that looked death in the eye when the Tsunami hit Sri Lanka. The couple has four children, age four to eleven, who survived with…
