What is EMDR?

 Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) was developed by Francine Shapiro when she realized that moving her eyes back and forth rapidly seemed to lessen the emotional intensity of disturbing thoughts and memories . EMDR encourages the patient to focus briefly on the trauma memory while simultaneously experiencing bilateral stimulation (typically eye movements), which is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with the stressful memories. Research supports positive clinical outcomes, showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences (Maxfield, 2019).