Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

Is a comprehensive psychotherapy approach developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro. It aims to help adults heal from trauma, adversity, and various life issues. EMDR assists in processing and recovering from past disturbing experiences that impact mental health and well-being. It targets negative images, emotions, beliefs, and body sensations associated with traumatic memories. During therapy, bilateral stimulation activates the subconscious mind. Clients access traumatic memories and work through them, leading to relief from symptoms. The therapist guides the client through the eight EMDR stages of history taking, treatment planning, preparation, assessment, desensitisation, installation, body scan, debriefing, closure and re-evaluation.

Studies have shown that children aged between 8-18 years who had developed post-trauma stress disorder (PTSD) after a single traumatic event showed that almost 92% of children no longer had PTSD after around four sessions of EMDR. They were still free of PTSD one year later. 

EMDR involves asking the child to think about upsetting experiences, after which they are asked to look at the therapist’s finger and follow it back and forth for about 15 to 30 seconds. Other types of left-right stimulation, such as hand taps or drumming, might be used if a child finds eye movements difficult. Similarly, drawing and body activities can also be used as alternatives to talking. After a few seconds of eye movements or other right-left stimulation, the therapist stops, asks the child to take a deep breath, and describes what they notice. The therapist then asks the child what comes up next in their mind. Typically, something shifts, and the child reports a change in the image, thought, feeling, or physical sensation. Then, the child is asked to remember this and follow another set of eye movements, hand taps or sounds. Sometimes, upsetting thoughts and feelings come up and must be dealt with. The procedure continues (unless the child gives the STOP signal) until the event no longer seems upsetting for the child.