Awareness through Reflection

What is EMDR therapy?

EMDR is one of only two “gold standard, evidence based psychotherapies” proven to be effective in working with psychological trauma. It has been validated by CREST 2003; NICE 2005 and WHO (World Health Organisation) in 2013. As a EMDR Europe Consultant Supervisor, I am qualified to supervise EMDR practitioners. It has been validated in numerous randomized control trials carried out worldwide. 

EMDR is an acronym for ‘Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing’. EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment method that was developed by an American clinical psychologist, Dr Francine Shapiro, in the 1980s. As a Senior Research Fellow at the Mental Research Institute, she published the first research data to support the benefits of the therapy in 1989.

Since then a wealth of research has been conducted demonstrating its benefits in treating psychological trauma arising from experiences as diverse as war related experiences, childhood sexual and/or physical abuse or neglect, natural disaster, assault, surgical trauma, road traffic accidents and workplace accidents. Since its original development, EMDR is also increasingly used to help individuals with other issues and performance anxiety. EMDR has been found to be of benefit to children as well as adults.

EMDR is a complex and powerful therapy. Therapists always have a background in mental health before undertaking training in EMDR. You are strongly recommended to only consult legitimate clinicians who have undergone a bona-fide EMDR training. If in doubt please check the EMDR UK and Ireland Association :- www.emdrassociation.org.uk and look under “find a therapist” to ensure you are working with an authenticated EMDR professional.