Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) - Trauma Therapy
What is Trauma?
Trauma occurs when our ability to adapt to challenging circumstances is overwhelmed. This can happen during experiences of severe events, such as torture, tragic loss, or a car accident, as Servan-Schreiber (2005) notes. However, trauma is not limited to extreme events. Even less severe experiences can leave lasting effects, particularly if they occur during vulnerable periods such as childhood or times when we feel physically or emotionally powerless. During these periods, our nervous system is still developing, and we may lack the resources or support needed to process and defend against such experiences.
Trauma is deeply personal and shaped by context. Factors such as cultural background, access to support, historical and intergenerational trauma, and individual resilience influence how trauma is experienced and processed. Recognising these nuances allows for a more inclusive understanding of trauma and its impact on diverse individuals and communities.
About EMDR
Traumatic memory refers to information about an event that becomes locked in the nervous system in its original form. This may include images, thoughts, sounds, smells, emotions, physical sensations, and beliefs in their raw emotional state. These memories remain stored in the emotional brain (limbic system) and are often disconnected from the rational brain (cortex), which is responsible for logical thinking. Such raw memories can be triggered by various stimuli, such as a scent, a loud noise, or anxious thoughts.
EMDR focuses on accessing the memory in all its components—visual, cognitive, emotional, and physical. During the process, the client is asked to follow the therapist's hand with their eyes (moving back and forth), or engage in other forms of bilateral stimulation, such as hand-tapping, auditory tones, or knee-tapping. These methods help provide bilateral stimulation, facilitating the effective processing of traumatic memories.
This process activates the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) system, the mind's natural healing mechanism.By inducing eye movements similar to those during REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep, EMDR helps the brain reprocess and resolve trauma. These eye movements appear to accelerate recovery from psychological trauma by assisting the mind’s natural healing system, which may have been previously overwhelmed or stuck.
Therapy process
The therapy process and procedures are according to Shapiro (2001) and follows an eight staged protocol,
further details of which can be found here.
For further information on an explanation of how EMDR works please see this very useful sheet
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