EMDR is a psychotherapy approach that is primarily used to treat trauma and other distressing experiences. Developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s, EMDR aims to help individuals process traumatic memories and alleviate the associated emotional distress. The therapy involves a structured eight-phase protocol, during which the therapist guides the client through bilateral stimulation, often achieved through side-to-side eye movements, sounds, or tactile sensations. These bilateral stimuli are believed to stimulate the brain's natural processing mechanisms, allowing the individual to reprocess and integrate traumatic memories in a less distressing way. EMDR is recognized as an effective treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and has also been applied to various other conditions, such as anxiety, phobias, and certain emotional disturbances.
Peter A. Levine