EMDR is a rapid and powerful treatment now available in the UK. EMDR helps people to process traumatic memories so that the memories are no longer disturbing. The bilateral movements in EMDR appear to help the brain to do this processing, assisting people to explore past traumas, make sense of them and decrease residual disturbance. 

The aim of EMDR is to reduce the disturbance connected with traumatic memories so that people can live their lives more fully. EMDR involves helping the patient to alter visual or auditory attention (i.e., shifting focus to what is seen or what is heard) while noticing or observing negative thoughts, emotions or bodily sensations. 

The intention is to unblock difficulties in informational processes allowing for rapid emotional processing of traumatic events.

What can EMDR help with?

It was initially used as a psychological treatment to resolve the effects of trauma. EMDR can also be used to help resolve any distressing memories, experiences that feel “stuck” and to conquer any irrational fears. 

EMDR therapy is an innovative clinical treatment for trauma including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), sexual abuse, domestic violence, combat, crime, and those suffering from a number of other trauma related difficulties including depression, addiction, phobias and some self-esteem issues.

What happens during private EMDR sessions?

Your therapist will begin the eye movements while you hold the image in mind. After each set of eye movements your therapist will ask you what came to mind or what you noticed during the eye movements. During the eye movements you may experience the distressing event quite intensely to start with, but this distress generally reduces as the memory is processed with EMDR. 

Eye movements can be created manually by your therapist moving his/her fingers back and forth across your visual field. However, the eye movements can also be created using a ‘light bar’, in which you follow a light that moves back and forth across a metal bar.

EMDR is not a form of hypnotism. Even though you are moving your eyes during EMDR you will remain conscious and in control at all times.

Is EMDR effective?

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends EMDR as one of the treatments of choice for trauma and PTSD alongside Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). 

EMDR is empirically supported by an evidence base for the treatment of trauma, making it very effective in the treatment of trauma. EMDR is an innovative clinical treatment, which has successfully helped over a million individuals. The validity and reliability of EMDR has been established by rigorous research. 

There are now nineteen controlled studies into EMDR making it the most thoroughly researched method used in the treatment of trauma, (details on www.emdr-europe.org and www.emdr.org).

Your treatment plan will always be tailored to fit your lifestyle and needs. Not only do we pride ourselves on being an evidence-based practice, whereby we only use treatments that are proven to work, we also endeavour to be a practice-based practice: We will invite continuous feedback to ensure we are delivering the most effective intervention that has the greatest benefits for you. 

At Elite Psychology we try to accommodate people’s needs and can provide therapy via different modes such as online EMDR or trauma focussed therapy by telephone.