Conditions Commonly Treated With EMDR Therapy

While most people associate therapy with a long-term commitment to talk sessions, some approaches are much different. For example, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing, or EMDR, is dramatically different. Developed in the 1980s, EMDR was first intended to be solely focused on trauma and trauma survivors. Today, as you’re about to see, EMDR is commonly used to treat many conditions.

Rather than talk therapy, EMDR has a therapist using hand and finger movements that the client follows with their eyes. This is performed while the client focuses on a particular negative belief or memory. Such a process induces a state in which uncomfortable images can be processed without getting triggered. All this in as few as 8 to 20 sessions!

5 Conditions Commonly Treated With EMDR Therapy

1. Trauma/Complex Trauma

About 70 percent of us will experience some kind of trauma in our lives. If it’s a one-time event (natural disaster, being victimized in a crime, etc.) or ongoing (abuse, abandonment, and more), it can completely reshape how you see the world. We feel stuck in a state of high alert and actively seek to avoid reminders of the pain. EMDR, as touched on above, guides us to accept past negative experiences without reliving them.

2. Substance Use and Abuse

Survivors of trauma and complex trauma frequently lean on self-medication as a form of numbing their symptoms. Thus, EMDR has been integrated into treatment plans for substance abuse and has shown long-term positive results.

3. Eating Disorders

Disordered eating is another counterproductive coping mechanism among traumatized people. In a dysfunctional way, eating disorders create the illusion of taking back control over your body and mind. EMDR allows patients to explore and shift this perception without feeling triggered.

4. Depression

EMDR was created for trauma survivors but its unquestioned effectiveness inspired clinicians to try it for people with depression. Basically, since it reduced obsessive thinking related to traumatic grief, could this treatment also decrease depressive rumination? So far, the answer is yes. More research is still being done. In the meantime, EMDR is becoming a common option for those struggling with a depressive disorder.

5. Co-Existing Mental Health Issues

As with physical conditions, it is not unusual for individuals — especially trauma victims — to display more than one mental health issue at the same time. Such conditions include depression (see #4 above), bipolar disorder, anxiety disorders, and more. EMDR is showing much promise in reducing symptoms and reliving associated chronic pain.

Are There Exclusions For EMDR?

Like any treatment modality, EMDR is not a one-size-fits-all option. For starters, it must be considered that EMDR brings difficult thoughts and memories to the surface. Whether or not an individual is ready to handle this reality must be assessed. They need social support and emotional resources that can help them manage their extreme emotions.

Other Possible Exclusions

• Anyone living in an unstable, unsafe environment can wind up being re-traumatized
• Those engaged in active drug use alter the EMDR process in a dangerous way
• Individuals with dissociative identity disorder must be evaluated before EMDR can be applied

As is always the case, each person must be viewed as a distinct individual with unique needs and variables. A therapist well-versed in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing is ideally positioned to perform such an important assessment. From there, things can move forward safely and productively — regardless of the chosen treatment plan.

EMDR treatment, as you can see, is an unusual form of treatment. You probably have some questions. Therefore, I heartily invite you to reach out to set up a free and confidential consultation. Let’s learn more about each other and take the best possible steps to help you heal and thrive again.