EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) is an empirically validated treatment for PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder). Although PTSD is typically associated with Vietnam veterans, it is important to recognize that trauma can occur through any situation in which our safety or integrity is threatened in a way that causes us to feel intense fear or helplessness^[1].

Whether or not we develop the full symptoms of PTSD that may be seen in veterans returning from war, many of us still suffer from the impact of trauma. Trauma-originating situations could include being involved in (or witnessing) an event like a mugging or car-crash where we are powerless to protect ourselves or somebody else. Many traumas, however, occur during childhood where we do not have the voice, the choice or the power to intervene in whatever situation we find ourselves - be it an abusive, alcoholic or otherwise shaming family system, being bullied at school, or being forced to suffer painful medical and dental procedures without the necessary information, understanding or support.

As we undergo these experiences, our brains adaptively learn to recognize situations that look or feel similar in the future. When a similar situation is identified, our brains automatically gear up our nervous systems to fight, freeze or flee to protect us from being harmed again. But sometimes, because of our past experiences, our brains may over-estimate the danger of perceived threats in the present, causing us react in ways that may be unnecessary or even harmful in the current situation. This, in a nutshell, is a traumatic reaction.

Traumatic reactions can be debilitating and lifelong. They can keep us from being intimate in relationships. They can develop into phobias that keep us from visiting the dentist, seeking the medical help we need or from driving in certain conditions or on specific roads. They can cause us to explode angrily towards a spouse, a co-worker or a boss who might have tripped our shame-wire. They can manifest in dissociative flashbacks and nightmares that prevent us from sleeping or even having an idle moment. They can reduce us to a state of perpetual vigilance or anxiety, rendering us incapable of relaxing or enjoying life.

In her practice as an EMDR therapist, Jane has used EMDR to treat many kinds of concerns that manifest in traumatic reactions, including:  

© 2010, Jane McCampbell
EMDR Counselor and Couples Therapist
Jane McCampbell Counseling Services, LLC
Minneapolis St Paul, MN