Applications In Using EMDR

EMDR is the most effective psychotherapy I have found in my 31 years of practice. As I teach new students I continue to learn from them in their application of EMDR. Consultation for 10 hours is offered through web conferencing with the training. In 09, one of my students, a sex therapist used EMDR with a gentleman that had a problem with premature ejaculation. After completing a few sessions of EMDR the problem was resolved.

Another therapist, who was running a detoxification program for substance abuse, started using some techniques used in the preparation phase in EMDR in “detox “and found that this better prepared people for substance abuse treatment. The holidays are usually times where patients leave against medical advice. In his experience people stopped leaving treatment when they had developed a safe place and learned to relax. This student also used EMDR on people who had relapsed and found that people were better able to reengage in treatment when they had worked through the guilt and shame associated with relapse. It is very exciting to receive such positive feedback from the effects of EMDR.

Complex trauma is the most difficult to treat. One must go slowly with people that have suffered complex trauma. Many people have different levels of dissociation with a fragile ego structure. EMDR may be used with this population but only after extended preparation, and for the therapist, more education on using EMDR with complex trauma. Like many EMDR trained therapists, I jumped too quickly in using EMDR and had people dissociate in session. This can be quite a scary experience, one must screen for dissociation and that does not always work. So going slowly, and combining EMDR with ego state therapy helps complex cases really make progress, not just band aide with medication.

As a therapist you learn many techniques but some are more helpful than others. Certainly over the years cognitive behavioral therapy has proven to be effective and is science based. EMDR combines so many different therapies such as cognitive behavioral, mindfulness, psychodynamic, gestalt, body work, just to name a few. The application and timing is so important to help a client move from a state of powerlessness to feeling empowered. Seeing people take power, control, and responsibility for their life and no longer experiencing life as a victim is what sold me on this therapy and changed the course of my career.