Exploring alternate ways to deal with trauma

I recently received EMDR training to add to my skill set of interventions to offer clients. What is EMDR, you might ask? It is the acronym for eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. This treatment was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro to help those with trauma related disorders such as, PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder), whose natural ability to process traumatic experiences was compromised. The hypothesis is that EMDR bilateral stimulation (eye movements, audio beeps, tactile pulses) replicates REM sleep, which is presumed to assist the brain in processing the information it received during the day. The idea being that the eye movements, or other forms of bilateral stimulation, add to the therapy’s effectiveness by evoking neurological and physiological changes to aid in the reprocessing of the traumatic memories. [Excerpt]

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Jeanette Kennedy

Kennedy, J. (2013, April 24). Exploring alternate ways to deal with trauma. Truro Daily News, Colchester County, Nova Scotia