EMDR or Eye Movement Desensitisation Therapy is a comprehensive psychotherapy that helps you process and recover from past experiences that are affecting your mental health and wellbeing.
It involves using side to side eye movements combined with talk therapy in a specific and structured format.
EMDR helps you process the negative images, emotions, beliefs and body sensations associated with traumatic memories that seem to be stuck. These can often contribute to a range of mental health problems.
EMDR helps you to see things from a different perspective and relieves the symptoms that you were suffering.
Research shows that there can be a dramatic transformation during the course of therapy. For example, moving from someone who is constantly reminded of a traumatic memory and of the negative symptoms, to feeling like it is behind them and not significant anymore.”
EMDR was developed – and is best known – as a therapy for treating trauma or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s recognised by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) and the World Health Organisation (WHO) as a treatment for PTSD.
However, it can be used to help with a range of mental health difficulties including anxiety, depression, addictions, behavioural difficulties, relationship issues and more serious mental illnesses such as psychosis and personality disorders.