EMDR AND ITS USE IN TREATING ATTACHMENT DISORDER

EMDR is an acronym for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a remarkable form of psychotherapy that is being widely used to treat trauma and PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder). EMDR combines elements from several therapeutic approaches with bilateral stimulation to facilitate hemispheric processing in the brain. Controlled studies support the efficacy of EMDR, making it not only the most thoroughly researched method ever used in the treatment of trauma, but also useful in a variety of applications from phobias to eating disorders. In 1987, Dr. Francine Shapiro noticed that her emotionally disturbing thoughts diminished after she moved her eyes rapidly from side to side, and she recognized the similarity to REM sleep. In REM sleep, conflicts are resolved, information is processed, balance is restored, and learning and memory are consolidated. As further research was done, the implications for the use of EMDR with trauma victims became clear. People who are traumatized dissociate from experiences that ar