A clinical vignette: EMDR treatment of choking phobia

A vignette is a brief case report that makes a contribution to the literature, but which has used only EMDR's standard protocol measures. This vignette describes the treatment of a woman who developed a severe choking phobia following an allergic reaction to a herbal beverage. She was hospitalized on several occasions because of her resultant inability to consume food and liquids. She received four years of various types of treatment for this phobia, including eating disorder treatment, brief psychodynamic therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and psychopharmacological treatment. None were successful in eliminating the disorder. Then when Mary received a course of EMDR treatment, addressing childhood etiological events, there was complete remission of the choking phobia and elimination of all related behaviors.

Journal

English

Karen Schurmans

Schurmans, K. (2007). A clinical vignette: EMDR treatment of choking phobia. Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 1(2), 118-121. doi:10.1891/1933-3196.1.2.118