EMDR was developed in 1987 by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro after she made an observation that eye movements can, under certain conditions, reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts.
EMDR involves bilateral stimulation of the brain. Research has suggested that when a person is very upset (traumatized), the brain has difficulty processing information. Some traumatic events or recurring situations which lead to intense emotion become “frozen in time”, or “stuck” in the brains information processing system. EMDR appears to have a direct effect on the way the brain processes information or events that are emotionally upsetting. With EMDR treatment, these experiences can often be worked through to what is called “adaptive resolution”.
This is another way of saying that through EMDR, you can come to understand an event in the past or present, realize who or what was responsible for the event occurring, and let go of the emotional reaction that is attached to it. You can then feel safer and more confident in your ability to make good choices in the present. What happened is still remembered, but in a new and less disturbing way.
Tamra refers to post-EMDR memories being "as if you were watching a movie or watching an accident happen as you drove by in a car". Most people will find that new and more flexible responses to previously traumatic experiences become easier. Clinical reports and analyses of multiple research projects suggest that EMDR treatment provides initial effects more rapidly, and provides opportunity to work through upset more rapidly and completely than traditional psychotherapies.
But Does EMDR Really Work? Yes, a number of scientific studies have shown that EMDR is effective. For example, the prestigious Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology published research by Wilson, Becker and Tinker in December 1995. This study of 80 subjects with post-traumatic stress demonstrated that clients improved significantly with EMDR treatment, and further study showed that this beneficial effect was maintained for at least 15 months. The findings from this and other studies indicate that EMDR is highly effective and that results are long lasting. For further references a bibliography of research on EMDR may be obtained through EMDRIA at "http://www.emdria.org"