Dr. Virginia Loewenstine, CEO and medical director of Tristate Preventive Health, answers your questions
Q: I am having flashbacks of bad runs. Someone mentioned EMDR may help me. What exactly is EMDR?
A: Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a newer, non-traditional form of psychotherapy. It has been shown to be effective in the healing process of PTSD and acute traumatic events. With the help of a trained psychologist, the process is simple and usually quick, unlike traditional talk psychotherapy.
To understand EMDR, one needs to understand how the body reacts to an event or memory. When a disturbing life experience happens, the body reacts in a “flight or fight” scenario, causing physical symptoms. Once the event is over, even though the person may feel they no longer react to the memory, the body still does. This connection between mind and body can cause years, or even a lifetime, of distress.
The rapid eye movement (REM) stage of sleep is where the body subconsciously processes memories. Using various techniques to simulate REM, the therapist guides the person through different thoughts and reactions surrounding the event. Some of these techniques include having the individual’s eyes follow the therapist’s finger, listening to drum beats going from one ear to the other, and finger tapping in a specific rhythm, among others. This guiding can be done in person or remotely, as more and more trained therapists are offering it over the phone or online.
Through the eight protocols the therapist uses, the mind separates the memory from the body’s response. When successful (more times than not), the body no longer reacts when the memory is triggered, it merely recognizes it as just that – a memory.
The book, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel Van Der Kolk, MD, is an excellent read, and more information on EMDR can be found at EMDR Institute.
