Mental health matters -Treating anxiety, trauma with EMDR

The easiest way to explain what EMDR does is that it helps with integrating the traumatic memory. It doesn’t erase the memory but it helps the person process it in a way so that it is not as troublesome anymore. When, for example, the car accident memory is not processed correctly, the driver feels the same panic, fear, and helplessness as in the original accident almost every time he or she sits in the car. The brain automatically jumps to the information “I’m in a car accident.” Once the memory is processed correctly, the brain has access to other information that is more helpful, such as “the accident was a long time ago,” “I am a good driver,” or “it’s unlikely that I will be in another accident.” [Excerpt]

Antie Rath

Rath, A. (2016, March). Mental health matters -Treating anxiety, trauma with EMDR. The Times Independent. Retrieved from http://www.moabtimes.com/view/full_story/27155339/article--Mental-Health-Matters-Treating-anxiety--trauma-with-EMDR----?instance=special_coverage_bullets_right_column