WHAT is EMDR?  

EMDR is an approach to counseling that has been researched extensively. The name is rather unfortunate! (EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). 

EMDR is recognized by the American Psychological Assocation as an evidenced-based practice. That just means that research has verified that EMDR is proven to be effective, especially for people who are stressed, have PTSD or have experienced trauma. 

Trauma is an experience that causes one to develop erroneous beliefs about oneself or the world and to behave in ways that are not skillful. (Parnell, 2007) 

There are two types of trauma:

Small "t" traumas:   Small t" traumas are caused by life experience that give one a lesser sense of self-confidence and assault one's sense of self-efficacy. They keep one from living to their full potential and cause suffering.  

Big "T" traumas:  are caused by witnessing or experiencing life events such as  childhood abuse, neglect, lack of attachment to parents or caregivers, natural disasters and loss. 

When a person eperiences a trauma it becomes locked into its own memory network as it was experienced -- the images, sensations, smells, sounds and beliefs -- as if frozen in time in the body-mind. 

Clients share that EMDR helps they to put what happened in the past in the past. This frees people live life in the present with greater ease, meaning and pleasure.  

EMDR is approved by the Veteran's Administration for resolving trauma.