EMDR:
     Eye Movement
     Desensitization Reprocessing

EMDR was developed in the late 1980's by Francine Shapiro, a New York City psychologist. It was developed as a means to treat trauma survivors, helping them to more quickly resolve the impact of a trauma. The term trauma here is used more liberally encompassing virtually any negative experience to which an individual attaches/associates a negative thought/ thinking pattern about him/herself. Therefore, experiences like being teased in grade school could be considered traumatic. Such experiences with their associated negative thoughts, and negative emotions, become hard-wired into the nervous system creating a sort of template or prototype. This template has a memory capacity that can be triggered by any number of experiences that resemble the original experience. Later experiences will only resemble the original one if they trigger the same template as the original experience.

The premise behind this method is that if the individual experiences a greater number of negative experiences or traumas that elicit the same negative thinking pattern, such patterns will become a more defining component of the person's identity, and self-image. If a sexually abused child blames him/herself for the abuse, and formulates that he/she is a bad person as a result, this will be the existing template. If ensuing negative experiences elicit that he/she is to blame, and he/she is also bad, this will be the way in which he/she will view him/herself regardless of how unreasonable or irrational that line of thinking is. The practice of EMDR seeks to unlock or desensitize this hard-wired template of irrational, dysfunctional thinking. As long as it remains in place the individual will always maintain a potential for compromised functioning, never realizing his/her full capacity.

If a child poorly delivers an oral presentation in school, and is ridiculed by fellow students leaving him/her with thoughts of being stupid, this could establish a template that could compromise functioning in a variety of ways. He/she as an adult may have difficulty with self-expression, negotiation, confrontation, and conflict resolution. In more specific terms he/she may have trouble interviewing for a job, asking someone out on a date, or attending a party with unfamiliar guests.

The second half of EMDR is the reprocessing or installation phase where a positive thinking pattern is hard-wired into the client's nervous system. This process is facilitated by the therapist and entails a dual stimulation involving a synchronized coordination of the therapist's hand movements along with the client following such movements with his/her eyes. This technique is neither mind altering, nor hypnotizing. Upon completion, the individual can be alleviated of any negative thinking about him/herself, and better able to maximize his/her potential, ultimately living more happily.