Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has emerged as a highly effective treatment for trauma, offering a structured yet flexible approach to desensitise and reprocess traumatic memories. This therapy is particularly beneficial for individuals who have experienced traumatic events, whether it is a recurring trauma or a single incident trauma, such as an accident, natural disaster, or assault.
EMDR therapy involves eight phases: history-taking, preparation, assessment, desensitisation, installation, body scan, closure, and re-evaluation. EMDR therapists use bilateral stimulation (BLS) through eye movements, taps, or sounds during the sessions as they help their clients process traumatic memories without having to go into the details of the traumatic experiences. EMDR helps reprocess the traumatic memory and integrate it into the individual's broader life narrative in a less distressing way.
EMDR has been research-validated to achieve significant reductions in symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and for recent incidents. EMDR therapy is helpful for trauma incidents where the memory is more isolated and specific, as well as for treating survivors of earthquakes and tsunamis. According to research, therapists report significant improvements in trauma symptoms among survivors who received EMDR shortly after the event.Â
During the COVID-19 pandemic, EMDR was used to support frontline healthcare workers experiencing acute stress and trauma and those experiencing grief and loss. The therapy helped individuals affected manage their fear and despair and restore their ability to function under challenging conditions. Besides the traditional face-to-face individual session, there is a remote EMDR and group EMDR,
Restoring Peace Counselling and Consultancy provides counselling and psychotherapy services for children, adolescents, youths and adult individuals, couples and groups facing anxiety, depression, trauma, and various mental health and relationship challenges. For more information, please visit www.restoringpeace.com.sg or WhatsApp at +65 8889 1848.
Keywords: EMDR, trauma, incident, disaster, grief, bereavement, therapy
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