by Lynn M. Kegley, LICSW
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - my personal skepticism
If you are like me when you first heard about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy you thought it was a bunch of mumbo-jumbo. As a therapist specializing in trauma work, I tend to be extremely selective in the therapy techniques that I use with my clients. Although I had heard positive things about the use of EMDR for trauma, I remained skeptical. In the world of therapy, various techniques become the “in thing” for a while, and then die down. Not because they are ineffective but because, like all of the other therapeutic techniques that we learn, they are effective with certain clients under the right circumstances. No ONE thing is going to work for everyone. I felt the same way about EMDR and decided to take a “wait and see” approach. I did not attend training to learn about this wonderful new therapeutic technique. I did not go out and buy all of the books that raved about EMDR. Instead, I sat back and waited to see if EMDR would stand the test of time. I waited to see if it was actually as effective as promised. And I waited until someone could explain to me how and why it works. That was 2003 and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy had already been around for over a decade at that time. All I needed was for the research to catch up.
Since 2003, there has been an explosion of research regarding how the brain is affected by psychological trauma. Numerous studies have been completed and research articles have been written about exactly what happens to our brains when our bodies go into “fight, flight or freeze” mode when confronted with a traumatic situation. After reading many articles and looking into the various studies, EMDR Therapy started to make sense to me. Since trauma has such a significant effect on the brain, a therapeutic technique that targets the brain is needed to help alleviate trauma symptoms. Hence I became a believer and, in 2017, embarked on a year-long journey to become trained in EMDR Therapy. I have now been utilizing this treatment method with my clients since Sept 2017 and have seen with my own eyes the positive impact that it has had on clients. Although, as with all other therapeutic techniques, I do not believe that EMDR Therapy is right for everyone. I do believe that for the right client and under the right circumstances, it can be extremely effective in reducing and even alleviating symptoms of trauma.
In my work with clients I have used EMDR in the following ways:
- Prepare a client for an upcoming encounter with her estranged father
- Assist a client in being able to take an airplane flight after having previously developed a fear of flying
- Help a client to process disturbing memories of childhood sexual abuse by her brother and begin to realize that she was not at fault
- Allow a client to process past memories of childhood abuse and understand how those memories impact her in the present
In all of the above situations, I was impressed with the enormous change in thinking and feeling that my clients experienced through EMDR therapy. While I believe that these changes most likely would have occurred anyway with ongoing, traditional psychotherapy, the EMDR therapy allowed those changes to take place in a matter of weeks vs. a matter of months and even years that is sometimes required. I now believe that, in the right circumstances and with the right clients, EMDR can bring about client healing much more quickly than traditional therapy.
I hope that you will read the information about Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy (see the links under "For Clients") and decide for yourself whether it might work for you. If you think it might, please call me at 603-577-5551 or send an email to info@apeacefulblance.com to discuss my fees and/or to set up an initial appointment.
The cost for EMDR therapy is $150.00 for the initial session and $125.00 per hour session thereafter. We do not accept insurance for EMDR therapy.