Method
EMDR
A structured method for working through distressing memories, especially after trauma.
- What is it?
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing) was developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. Distressing memories can stay "stuck" and feel as raw as when they happened. The aim is to help the brain process them, so they lose some of their emotional charge.
- How we work
- While you briefly bring a memory to mind, you follow bilateral stimulation, most often eye movements from side to side. We go step by step, at a pace you can manage, and always start by making sure you have ways to feel safe and steady.
- When it can help
- EMDR is recommended in international guidelines for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and is also used for other distressing experiences, such as a difficult birth or frightening medical treatment.