Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy designed to help people recover from trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). I’ve used it for years, and have found it to be very helpful for practically everyone with trauma. Research has been done for over 30 years now, studying it. I wanted to share some of its findings with you. Here’s what the research shows:

• EMDR works well for PTSD. Many scientific studies and reviews have found that EMDR helps people with PTSD feel better. It reduces symptoms like flashbacks, anxiety, and depression. Some studies show that after just a few sessions, a large percentage of people no longer meet the criteria for PTSD

• It works quickly for many. Some research found that up to 90% of people with a single traumatic event no longer had PTSD after only three sessions. For those with more complex or repeated trauma, the success rate is a bit lower but still significant

• EMDR is as good as, or sometimes better than, other treatments. Studies comparing EMDR to other therapies, like cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), found EMDR to be just as effective, and sometimes even more effective, especially for certain PTSD symptoms like unwanted memories and feeling on edge

• It helps with more than just PTSD. EMDR can also reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety that often come with trauma. I use regularly it to help people with grief and loss, which is my second specialty.

• It works for different ages and backgrounds. EMDR has been shown to help children, teenagers, and adults, and it’s effective in different cultures and settings, including after accidents, violence, or war

• Treatment is generally safe and well-tolerated. Most people can complete EMDR therapy, and drop-out rates are low. It’s even been show to be safe and effective in folks who also have psychotic disorders, like schizophrenia.

• Some studies show EMDR may work faster than other therapies. People often need fewer sessions to see improvement compared to traditional talk therapies

• There’s still more to learn. While EMDR is strongly supported by research, scientists are still studying how it works and how to make it even better. Some studies have small sample sizes or short follow-up periods, so more research is ongoing

If you would like to know more about EMDR, how it was developed or how it works, as well as how it helps trauma I can recommend a book to you. It’s Getting Past Your Past, and it’s written by Francine Shapiro who was the developer of EMDR. It’s easy to understand and can be very helpful for any initial questions you might have. It’s also available as an audio book. I don’t get any money whether anyone reads it or not, it’s just a good clients have told me they’ve found