EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING
(EMDR)
“The past affects the present even without our being aware of it.”
— Francine Shapiro
EMDR at Luminary Solutions
Matt Liberatore, Ed.D, LCPC, is an EMDR Certified Therapist and has completed advanced training in EMDR for Anxiety, OCD, Panic Disorder, and Addictions. Matt is also a member of EMDRIA.
Nidisha Kaul, LPC is Trained as an EMDR Therapist
Kirk Johnson, LPC is Trained as an EMDR Therapist
Juan Velasquez, LPC is Trained as an EMDR Therapist
WHAT IS EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative therapy approach that has extensive research supporting the effectiveness. EMDR is an effective psychotherapy modality proven to support clients in recovering from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. EMDR uses a specific series of session phases, bilateral stimulation such as, eye movement, tapping, or other stimuli to support clients in resolving old memories tied to adverse experiences.
The American Psychiatric Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the World Health Organization are just a myriad of national and international organizations that identify EMDR as an effective treatment modality.
HOW IS EMDR DIFFERENT?
EMDR therapy, rather than focusing on changing the emotions, thoughts, or behaviors resulting from the distressing issue allows the brain to resume its natural healing process.EMDR therapy is designed to resolve unprocessed traumatic memories in the brain. For many clients, EMDR therapy can be completed in fewer sessions than other psychotherapies.
WHAT IS THE THEORY BEHIND EMDR THERAPY?
Our brains have a natural way to recover from traumatic memories and events. The adaptive information processing (AIP) model explains that some memories depending on adverse event remain unprocessed because of negative cognition and messaging that was associated with the event. The adverse experience is associated with stored negative cognitions, physical sensations, and other environmental stimuli. When distress from a disturbing event remains, the upsetting images, thoughts, and emotions may create feelings of overwhelm, of being back in that moment, or of being “frozen in time.” EMDR therapy helps the brain process these memories, and allows normal healing to resume. The experience is still remembered, but the fight, flight, or freeze response from the original event is resolved.”
WHO CAN BENEFIT FROM EMDR THERAPY?
EMDR therapy helps children and adults of all ages. Therapists use EMDR therapy to address a wide range of challenges:
Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias, Depression and bipolar disorders, Grief and loss, Performance anxiety, Personality disorders, PTSD and other Trauma and stress-related issues, Sexual assault, Violence and abuse
RESOURCES
Emdria.org
EMDR.com
Good Therapy - EMDR Description
EMDR - Research and Evidence