EMDR stands for eye-movement-desensitization-and-reprosessing. It can either use visual or audio stimulation to accomplish this.
Much like dental surgery, it can be beneficial, but in the wrong hands, it can be as harmful as a coulple of stoners breaking into a dentist office, getting high on Nitrous Oxide, and going to work on each other's teeth.
I undergo EMDR therapy, and it has had beneficial results such as; increasing my typing speed, enabling me to remember the names of people I meet a whole lot better, better control of my spending habits, eating healthier and shopping smarter. I no longer tense up when I drive to the point that my hands hurt from gripping the wheel and screaming profanities at the traffic.
My mind has been made clearer by this type of therapy. It is like a major housecleaning of the brain. Bad memories are by no means erased, but the bad feelings and what is most important, the BAD HABITS that associate with them are cut down to size and you are able to take control of your emotional make-up that stemmed from traumatic experiences.
Myself, I use the audio form of the EMDR and sometimes I butt heads with my counselor over what subject matter and trauma is still causing me problems sub-consciously. We don't always agree on things either. He thought a lot of my anger was from the way I was treated by and abusive stepfather, and we went round and round on that one. It turned out that yes, there still was alot of anger but it was smothered by all those years of not being able to talk about it due to the "treatment" of Straight. He had me do a session about what it was like in group not being able to talk about the things that really bother you and having to 'conform' your subject matter to the status quo. This one was like a breakthrough! I wound up on my feet with a broken armrest from the chair in my hand! He is a little more careful on approaching the Straight Years now to say the least.
In closing, I do the therapy, and while it may not be for everybody, no one has the right to knock something that really works if they have not tried it themselves personally. Bob in St. Pete
[ This Message was edited by: 85 Day Jerk on 2003-06-25 11:03 ]
[ This Message was edited by: 85 Day Jerk on 2003-06-27 22:17 ]
