What Is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) is a psychotherapy technique that can have very dramatic and powerful effects on individuals suffering from traumatic and emotional problems. It incorporates bilateral stimulation and right/left eye movements.
Have you ever felt so overwhelmed by anxiety and repetitive thoughts only to be gradually transformed into a natural grounded state of being just by the simply engaging in left/right eye movement?
How Did EMDR Get Started?
In 1987, Francine Shapiro PhD, a California psychologist in private practice, accidentally stumbled upon the therapeutic effects of bilateral stimulation. She discovered that emotional and behavioral symptoms that occurred from disturbing experiences attenuated when recalling the circumstances at the same time while engaging in bilateral stimulation and lateral eye movements.
EMDR became a widely proclaimed psychological therapy sensation in a very short period of time because of its quick and lasting relief from emotionally distressful situations.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR?
In her clinical practice, Dr. Shapiro focused on clients who had Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), other disorders, traumas and phobias related to anxiety. Today a wide range of conditions are now being treated with EMDR by psychologists all over the United States, Canada and other parts of the world:
- Depression
- Schizophrenia
- Personality disorders
- Panic attacks
- Anxiety
- Fears
- Grief associated with death
- Dissociative disorders
- Disturbing memories
- Autism
- Developmental delays
- Death of a loved one
- Addictions
- Pain disorders
- Stress reduction
- Sexual abuse
- Physical abuse
- Body dismorphic disorders
- Injuries
- Accidents
- Sleep issues
- Anger management
- Low esteem
- Violent crimes
What Emotional Symptoms Are Best Helped by EMDR?
EMDR therapy has eight phases that help the person identify and recall the feelings surrounding the experience in addition to any negative thoughts, feelings and memories. Usually, most negative experiences have overwhelmed individuals to the point of consuming their lives while leaving them with very few coping skills or harmful coping strategies to deal with the situation. These emotional experiences remain trapped or embedded in the nervous system and cells of the body.
By activating opposite sides of the brain with the bilateral eye movement, the therapy releases all the negative emotions attached to the experience. The continual eye movements free the blockages and reprocess the traumatic information so that eventually the person is lead to a peaceful resolution.
The idea is to reprocess the information until that information is no longer psychologically damaging or disruptive to the person. The following symptoms can be helped by EMDR:
- High anxiety and lack of motivation
- Depression
- Memories of a traumatic experience
- Fear of being alone
- Unrealistic feelings of guilt and shame
- Fear of being alone
- Difficulty in trusting others
- Relationship problems
About Teresa Badillo
In the 1980s she worked overseas in Rome, Italy at the Japanese Embassy in the office of the United Nations (FAO) as a speech writer. She also began her long journey in alternative healing while living in Rome.
After moving to New York and while raising her family of seven children, Teresa embarked on a mission to find alternative non-invasive biomedical, therapeutic, sensory and educational solutions for autism after the diagnosis of her son in the early 1990s.
She won a court case in 1995 against the Rockland County School District in New York to enable ARC Prime Time for Kids to be the first school using Applied Behavioral Analysis teaching method for autism that was paid for by the Rockland County School District. The following year she was instrumental in getting the New York Minister of Education to approve an extension of the ARC license from 5 to 21 years.
She has worked over the years in a number of alternative medical practices with doctors and practitioners organizing various biomedical intervention options for children with autism. Since the mid 1990s, Teresa has served on several boards:
- Foundation for Children with Developmental Disabilities
- The Autoimmunity Project
- Developmental Delayed Resources
- Epidemic Answers
She continues to consult and advise parents on all different areas of autism especially nutritional protocols. Since 2006 she has worked with NutraOrgana, LLC and BioCellular Analysis Testing. She currently researches, writes the newsletter and blogs Teresa’s Corner for The Autism Exchange (AEX). She also writes blog posts and pages for Documenting Hope.
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Sources & References
Brand Flu, R.L. Tap, tap, tap the use fullness of EMDR on kids on the autism spectrum. European Psychiatry, 27, 1, (2012).
Firat, S., et al. AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER AND SPECIFIC PHOBIA. TREATMENT WITH EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING: REPORT OF TWO CASES. Psychiatr Danub. 2023 Fall;35(3):440-444.
Leuning, E.M., et al. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing in adolescents with autism; Efficacy on ASD symptoms and stress. Front Psychiatry. 2023 Feb 15:14:981975.
Lobregt-van Buuren, E., et al. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy as a Feasible and Potential Effective Treatment for Adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and a History of Adverse Events. J Autism Dev Disord. 2019 Jan;49(1):151-164.
Lowry, M.A. Assessment and treatment of mood disorders in persons with developmental disabilities. Journal of Developmental and Physical Disabilities, 10 (1998) 387-406.
Resources
Articles
Shapiro, Francine, PhD. “Expert Answers on EMDR,” New York Times (16 Mar. 2012).
