When a disturbing event happens, it can become locked in the nervous system with the original picture, sounds, thoughts and feelings associated with it. EMDR seems to "unlock" the nervous system and allows the brain to process this material. This may be what is happening in REM or dream sleep: the eye movements associated with dream sleep may actually help the brain to process unconscious material.

EMDR AND POST-TRAUMATIC STRESS DISORDER
Anxiety affects many in our society. One form of anxiety, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, or PTSD, is a psychological response to extremely negative or distressing experiences, such as war, rape, natural disasters, loss of a loved one, sexual abuse and other forms of violence. Soldiers returning from Vietnam, for example, often exhibited many symptoms of PTSD like sleep disturbance, nightmares, panic attacks, and flashbacks of their war experiences.

Too often, these symptoms persist for years, interfering with the resumption of normal daily living and with being in intimate relationships. Traditionally, mental health professionals have had minimal success in treating PTSD, with only a 15% cure rate.

Research on the use of EMDR in the treatment of PTSD has yielded some exciting results, and shows that EMDR works well in the treatment of trauma. Therefore PTSD patients, when treated with EMDR, can be healed at a far greater rate than ever before.

IS EMDR RIGHT FOR YOU?
Since the early use of EMDR with PTSD patients, EMDR has been applied to a wide variety of other problems and disorders, including specific phobias, generalized anxiety, addictions, depression, grief, and worries about future events such as scheduled surgeries and medical treatments. Recently, clinicians have developed an EMDR procedure for patients with chronic pain associated with conditions such as arthritis, fibromyalgia, and physical injury. EMDR has also been used to enhance the performance of athletes and the creativity of artists. EMDR has been used with patients of all ages, including small children. Your therapist can advise you on whether EMDR would be a helpful part of your treatment plan.

EMDR AT GMH
Several of the therapists at Grew, Morter & Hartye, P.A. are trained and/or certified in EMDR, and are available to help treat children and adults who suffer from anxiety, chronic pain, PTSD, and other difficulties. There is a good chance that your distressing symptoms can be relieved in but a few months of treatment. Additionally, we have found that EMDR is particularly effective after several neurofeedback sessions.

Books
EMDR: The Breakthrough Therapy For Overcoming Anxiety, Stress, And Trauma- Francine Shapiro & Margot Silk Forrest

Small Wonders. Healing Childhood Trauma with EMDR- Joan Lovett

Websites
Information about EMDR from The EMDR Institute, Inc.

Order relaxation and stress management products (audio & video) from Dr. Emmett Miller

Order relaxation guided visualization CD's from Health Journeys.Com