TAMING TRAUMA with EMDR-Taking the Pain Out of Painful Experiences

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Article Title:

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TAMING TRAUMA with EMDR-Taking the Pain Out of Painful Experiences

Article Description:

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Janis has not felt comfortable on a date since suffering a

violent rape by an intruder who held her at knifepoint,

threatening her life. Driving has been difficult for Sharon ever

since her near fatal car wreck. When Ann's husband touches her,

the pleasure response she desires is blocked by intrusive

memories of her stepfather molesting her as a child.

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962 Words; formatted to 65 Characters per Line

Distribution Date and Time: 2006-12-05 10:00:00

Written By: Steve B.

Copyright: 2006

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TAMING TRAUMA with EMDR-Taking the Pain Out of Painful Experiences

Copyright © 2006 Steve B.

Psychotherapy Center

http://www.psychotherapy-center.com

Janis has not felt comfortable on a date since suffering a

violent rape by an intruder who held her at knifepoint,

threatening her life. Driving has been difficult for Sharon ever

since her near fatal car wreck. When Ann's husband touches her,

the pleasure response she desires is blocked by intrusive

memories of her stepfather molesting her as a child. Jim's

nightmares of Vietnam still haunt him. After a verbally abusive

marriage, Jane's self-esteem is very low. What all of these

people share are the post-traumatic effects of severely painful

experiences.

One of the main goals of therapy is to help people ease the pain

of human suffering. That pain is most vivid in the lives of those

who have suffered traumatic psychological experiences. Those

experiences can be so devastating that the invisible wounds still

cripple their lives years later. Victims of child abuse, adult

abuse survivors, those exposed to the horror of war, violent

crimes, and painful accidents often develop intense fear

responses to anything that becomes associated with the trauma.

Even people who have experienced early abandonment over the loss

of a parent to death or divorce can have their peace of mind

impinged upon by fears that seem confusing or unrealistic. Phobic

responses, post-traumatic stress symptoms, or a generalized sense

of anxiety often remains with them long after the initial

experience of pain.

Fortunately, hope now exists for people who have been trauma

victims. Research is showing a revolutionary treatment method to

be highly effective in treating even the most resistant

post-traumatic stress disorders as well as milder forms of

psychological pain. It is Eye Movement Desensitization and

Reprocessing (EMDR). This approach is quickly gaining broad

acceptance at one of the leading treatments for traumatic

events.

My first glimpse of EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and

Reprocessing) was in an unforgettable video of a live therapy

session that I saw during my clinical training. As the lights

dimmed, I saw on the monitor an older woman relating her story of

the recent traumatic events in her life. Diagnosed with cancer,

her physician told her that she had only six months to live and

that she would die a terribly painful death. Her husband

subsequently abandoned her to die alone. She looked and sounded

hopeless, overwhelmed and in such pain that she could die that

very day.

Then I saw something amazing. During her single EMDR (Eye

Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) treatment session, I

witnessed a remarkable transformation as she resolved her grief

over being abandoned, her fear of dying and came to a decision

that she would be OK. Furthermore, she decided to devote her

remaining time on earth to helping other cancer patients.

The follow-up video of her session one week later showed a

different woman. Her makeover was more than make-up. She seemed

unaffected by the events that just a few days before were as

traumatic as she could imagine. The report was that she not only

went on to live twice as long as her physician gave her but also

touched many lives in a positive way. Because of her

transformation, her husband returned to her side. In the end,

she died with dignity and very little pain. It is so moving to

realize that because of one therapy session, a woman who had

lived a long life was given the gift of living a meaningful

life.

What makes EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)

so effective is that the process may be stimulating an increase

in communication between the left and right hemispheres of the

brain. The eye movement patterns utilized during treatment are

also similar to the patterns that naturally occur during rapid

eye movement (REM) sleep. REM sleep is associated with dreaming.

During dreams, the mind is attempting to work through problems.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) treatment

begins by having the client focus on two things simultaneously.

Internally, they focus on a problem that they wish to resolve.

Externally, they focus on tracking the therapists' hand as it

guides them through a series of eye movements. Then, they are to

be aware of any thoughts, images, emotions or sensations that may

spontaneously emerge during the process. Whatever does come into

the clients' awareness becomes the focus during the next pattern

of eye movements.

As the process unfolds, it seems to empower the mind to resolve

problems or traumatic experiences in remarkable ways. The client

may gain access to information that was previously unavailable.

They may see their traumatic experience from a different

perspective. They are able to take strategies that they know

from one area of their life and apply them to the problem. They

release emotional blocks and can naturally resolve their feelings

about the trauma. This process allows people to integrate what

they know intellectually at a gut-level. This is one of the

hardest yet most essential things to accomplish in therapy.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a much

easier and less painful process than traditional therapy for

resolving trauma. There is no pounding of pillows or screaming

at empty chairs. The resolution takes place much quicker too.

Many people experience a 20-100% reduction in distress and a

15-100% increase in self-esteem in just a few sessions.

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) treatment is

like a train ride through the traumatized area of your life. You

look out the window and memories just go by. They are nothing

but scenery and you move through them quickly and more

comfortably. Old styles of therapy are like covering the same

painful ground on foot while carrying a 50-pound backpack.

People who experience EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and

Reprocessing) are learning that they can tame traumas. They are

also accomplishing this healing faster and easier than they ever

thought possible.

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Steve B. , LPC, LMSW, LMFT is one of the first therapists

in Dallas to train in EMDR. He also works with many other

leading-edge treatments for trauma including the REMAP process

and Emotional Freedom Techniques. In addition to treating people

in his office, Steve also provides phone counseling worldwide. You

can reach Steve at 972-997-9955 or through his website at

www.psychotherapy-center.com

copyright 1997, Steve B.