Does EMDR Really Work?

EMDR is still relatively misunderstood, but all practitioners should really want to know is whether or not it is effective. And the answer to this is a simple one: it truly is.

Not only is it an extremely effective way of allowing a patient to deal with the effects of trauma and post traumatic stress, but it allows resolution with far less emotional upheaval en route when compared against the majority of other techniques that can be used. As such, not only is it very effective, but it may also be a far more suitable treatment for far more people.

EMDR training will allow a mental health practitioner to utilise eye movements to help resolve the stress and fear that can be associated to with a traumatic event. The reason it is so effective is that it is all about empowering the individual and allowing them to simply accelerate the way in which they process memories and emotions, removing many barriers that can stand in the way when using a more traditional approach.

Through other treatments, a patient may have to trust the practitioner or simply feel comfortable enough to fully open up, but with EMDR this need is removed and allows the patient themselves to be in control, allowing healing without needing the courage or trust to discuss the problems at length.

PTSD training was once all about finding a way to communicate with the patient and to try to talk them around. EMDR is different and allows physical treatment to invoke psychological healing, not only speeding up the process for the majority of patients but also allowing them to feel far more comfortable with the process as a whole.

So, in short, EMDR does indeed work and has been proven to be one of the most successful treatments for the likes of PTSD, and at the same time a course of treatment that patients can feel far more comfortable undergoing.