What is EMDR?

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a treatment for certain undesirable emotional conditions which may be caused by previous harmful events, including war, accidents, rape, observing violence or death, and abuse, including physical, emotional and sexual abuse. EMDR requires a licensed therapist with specific training in using the technique. It often works much more quickly and thoroughly than other treatments in relieving these problems.

I have been using EMDR since 1996, and have received the highest levels of training offered in the field. I am a Consultant in the EMDR International Association, and have been a Facilitator in EMDR courses in the Front Range area.

EMDR works with a wide range of problems. It is highly effective for anxiety disorders, including panic attacks, phobias and performance anxiety.  It can also be useful in treating anger, complicated grief, and addictions, and in managing chronic pain. This process has been successful for performance enhancement and strengthening your positive attributes. This clinical finding is increasingly validated by research.

EMDR is seldom used alone. EMDR is a way of solving problems in psychotherapy, not a complete psychotherapy system. It should be part of an integrated approach to psychotherapy. With the Modern Counseling approach, I carefully assess if EMDR would bring benefits, when would the client be ready for it, and where it should fit in with other approaches as part of a total, holistic counseling approach.

EMDR was discovered in 1987 by Dr. Francine Shapiro, when working with Vietnam vets who had PTSD. The technique is now used widely by the US Veterans Administration and many police and fire departments as the most effective way of treating the psychological disruptions from traumatic events. Today EMDR is practiced by thousands of therapists in many countries.

For more information on EMDR, visit this web site:
www.emdria.org/