EMDR

What is EMDR and how does it work?

EMDR is an effective treatment method for individuals who have experienced one or more distressing events and are struggling to process them. EMDR successfully combines elements from other therapies, including behavior therapy and cognitive therapies, with a distracting task, such as following the therapist's fingers with the eyes. This stimulates the brain's natural processing system, reducing the negative emotional charge to neutral. EMDR often allows the processing of distressing experiences to occur relatively quickly without the need for extensive conversations. EMDR is a structured treatment method, consisting of a series of predefined steps.

What is the purpose of EMDR?

During an EMDR treatment, you are assisted in reducing the emotional intensity associated with a traumatic memory. You do not forget what happened, but the emotions connected to it become less intense.

The discovery of EMDR

EMDR was discovered by an American psychologist, Francine Shapiro. She noticed that her eyes moved in various directions during a walk in the forest, and she observed that this had a calming effect on the distressing thoughts she was experiencing at that time. Based on this discovery, she conducted extensive research, and in 1989, she published the positive results. EMDR is, therefore, a relatively new therapy.