Carol Boulware, Ph.D Santa Monica & Redondo Beach, California

What Is EMDR?

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EMDR is an acronym for a new psychotherapeutic technique called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. When people suffer from trauma, it often ties into REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which is the time when we process our daily emotions. Some trauma may be so painful, that the REM process rejects it. EMDR is an intensified version of REM, developed to handle trauma in its most serious form. EMDR allows a client to process an emotional experience that he/she cannot yet talk about, yet following a EMDR session find an ability to talk about it freely. Most importantly, it can eliminate stress surrounding the traumatic event, with the purpose of allowing new life in the once traumatized and emotionally difficult memory. How Does It Work? The therapist works gently with the client and asks him/her to revisit the traumatic moment or incident, recalling feelings surrounding the experience, as well as any negative thoughts, feelings and memories. The therapist then holds her fingers about eighteen inches from the clients face and begins to move them back and forth like a windshield wiper. The client tracks the movements as if watching ping pong. The more intensely the client focuses on the memory, the easier it becomes for the memory to come to life. As quick and vibrant images arise during the therapy session, they are processed by the eye movements, resulting in painful feelings being exchanged for more peaceful, loving and resolved feelings. What are the Symptoms that can be helped by EMDR? * High anxiety and lack of motivation * Depression * Memories of a traumatic experience * Fear of being alone * Unrealistic feelings of guilt and shame * Fear of being alone * Difficulty in trusting others * Relationship problems What is the History of EMDR? Since the initial medical study in 1989 positive therapeutic results with EMDR have been reported with the following populations: * People who have witnessed or been a victim to a disaster(rape, accidents, earth quakes, fires, murder, gang related violence) * Clients suffering from PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) * Suffers of panic disorders and anxiety attacks * Suffers of phobias * Chemically dependent clients * Persons exposed to excess loss ( loss by death, divorce, loss of a house by fire) * Crime victims and police officers who were once overcome with violent memories * Accident or burn victims Although a fairly new therapeutic technique, EMDR is meeting with much success all across the county. EMDR is a natural process. The client and the therapist become partners on a journey to help move traumatic and blocked energy. Together they work to transcend and free up the energy, so the client can return to their natural grounded state of being. The goal of this work is to help the client heal, so they can return to their life in peace. Ask yourself the following questions to determine if EMDR would be helpful for you: Do you have any of the following symptoms? * Do you find it difficult to trust others? * Are you attracted to people who just aren't good for you? * Do you feel guilty without knowing why? * Are you in a painful relationship and can't leave? * Were you physically or emotionally abused as a child? Do you experience? * Self-blame, self-consciousness, shame or guilt * Chronic or excessive anger, sadness * Indecisiveness, confusion, hard to think * Worry, anxiety, obsessive thinking * Unpleasant feeling, mood swings * Negativity, pessimism, irritability If you can answer "Yes " to any of these questions, then stress, anxiety, fear could be affecting your life and indicates you may benefit from EMDR Therapy.

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