What is EMDR?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy that was developed to resolve
symptoms resulting from trauma and other emotional conditions.  EMDR therapy is a type of therapy that uses bilateral, neurological stimulation along with a structured spoken therapy designed specifically for use with EMDR bilateral stimulation. Eye movement is one type of bilateral stimulation used in this therapy. Also used is left-right auditory stimulation (sounds/tones) and/or left-right tactile stimulation.

How Does It Work?
When a person is very upset, the brain seems to be unable to process the experience as it would normally. When disturbing experiences happen or a person is very upset, the experience is stored in the brain with all the sights, sounds, thoughts and feelings that accompany it - and that moment is "frozen in time".  Therefore, the negative thoughts and feelings of the traumatic event are "trapped" in the nervous system and remembering the trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings haven't changed.

EMDR seems to have a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following a successful EMDR session, a person no longer relives the images, sounds, and feelings when the event is brought to mind.  The individual still remembers what happened, but it is less upsetting.

Many types of therapy have similar goals, however EMDR appears to be similar to what occurs naturally during dreaming or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  Therefore, EMDR can be thought of as a physiologically based therapy  that helps a person see disturbing material in a new and less distressing way, permanently improving the way he or she sees the world and the way they relate to other people.


What Kind of Problems Can EMDR Treat?
The studies to date show a high degree of effectiveness with the following conditions:

What is an EMDR Session Like?
One or more "traditional" sessions are required for me to understand the nature of the problem and decide whether EMDR is an appropriate treatment option.  Once we have agreed that EMDR is appropriate, the therapy begins.  A typical session lasts from 60 to 90 minutes.  The type of problem, life circumstances, and the amount of previous trauma will determine how many treatment sessions are necessary.

During EMDR, I work with you to identify a specific problem as the focus of the session. You call to mind the disturbing issue or event, what was seen, felt, heard, thought, etc., and what thoughts and beliefs you currently hold about that event.  I guide bilateral stimulation (either eye movement, sounds, or tactile) while you focus on the disturbing material and notice whatever comes to mind and what changes occur in the mind and body without controlling the experience in any way.  I consider this information and then instruct you to focus on a new modified image and once again perform a set of bilateral stimulations.  Sets of stimulations are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and is associated with positive thoughts and beliefs. The resulting change is permament.

Does EMDR Really Work?  Is There Research to Support These Claims?
There are approximately 20 controlled studies investigating the effects of EMDR.  These studies have consistently found that EMDR effectively decreases/eliminates the symptoms of post traumatic stress for the majority of the patients.  Clients often report improvement in other associated symptoms such as anxiety.

The current treatment guidelines of the American Psychiatric Association and International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies designate EMDR as an effective treatment for post traumatic stress.  The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and Department of Defense placed EMDR in the "A" category as "strongly recommended" for the treatment of trauma in it's VA/DoD Clinical Guideline for the Managment of Post-Traumatic Stress.  EMDR was also found effective by the United Kingdom Department of Health, the Israeli National Council for Mental Health, and many other international health and governmental agencies.  A recent study financed by Kaiser Permanente revealed that EMDR was twice as effective in half the amount of time compared to the standard traditional care.

Some of the latest research has been done by Dr. Peter Levine, at UCLA. A test group of patients were given color-contrast MRI’s before EMDR treatment, mapping the area of the brain that held the negative symptom (of each patient). This new type of MRI procedure maps the area of the brain where an emotion is being evoked. Dr. Levine used this data, along with Pet Scan brain scans of each patient, to further measure and identify patient responses. The EMDR process was then done with each patient. When a patient reported feeling symptom-free, he or she was then re-tested with a Pet Scan of the brain. Pre-EMDR and post-EMDR pet scans were compared. The results showed these "hot spots" had disappeared along with the patients symptoms.   Similar results have been documented by researchers at the University of Siena School of Medicine, Siena, Italy

Few other therapies have been so thoroughly researched and none other have shown such significant long term results. For more information about EMDR research, review the information at the following sites:

  EMDR -  Humanitairan Assistance Programs
  EMDR Institute, Inc
  EMDR Institute, Inc comparison of EMDR to other therapies


What type of training does a therapist need to use EMDR?
Only practicing, licensed psychotherapists, psychiatrists, social workers, and counselors may receive EMDR training.  These are the only mental health professionals qualified to use EMDR therapy with patients.  A clinical background is necessary for proper application of the EMDR technique.  This is a highly specialized method that requires supervised training for therapeutic effectivenss and client safety.

I am a skilled, experienced Level 2 EMDR clinician.  I am privileged to have studied under Laurel Parnell, PhD, one of the world's leading experts in EMDR, an internationally recognized clinical psychologist, author of four books on EMDR, international consultant, and EMDR trainer.   

For further information on EMDR:
   EMDR Institute, Inc
   Laurel Parnell, PhD
   EMDR-Therapy
   EMDR International Association
   EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs
   RealMentalHealth.com
   VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for Management of Post-Traumatic Stress   (pages I-24 thru I-27)

Kimberly Callen, LCSW, CSAC, NBCCH
203 W. Loudoun St, SW   Leesburg, VA 20175
571-594-3338
kscallen@verizon.net  www.redmountaincounseling.net