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The Secret of EMDR Therapy: What is the Wonderful Connection Between Eye Movement and Mind Healing?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has been the subject of heated discussion in the field of psychotherapy in recent decades. Although this therapy has a temporary effect on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), controversy remains in the psychology community. The therapy was first developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987 to reduce the pain and anxiety associated with traumatic memories through lateral eye movements or other bilateral stimulation methods.
The main purpose of EMDR is to focus attention on the traumatic event and to regulate emotions and thoughts through stimulation.
Currently, many professional organizations recommend the use of EMDR as an effective method for treating PTSD, including the World Health Organization (WHO) and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. However, there are still many studies that believe that EMDR lacks sufficient scientific basis and point out that its effectiveness may only be an extension of other established therapeutic techniques, which has caused controversy about its effectiveness and scientific basis.
The Process of EMDR Therapy
During EMDR therapy, the therapist guides the patient to recall specific images, feelings, and thoughts related to the trauma, while stimulating the patient's senses bilaterally, such as performing lateral eye movements or using other forms of bilateral stimulation. Compared to traditional psychoanalytic approaches, EMDR does not require detailed recollection of traumatic events, but instead focuses on alleviating emotional distress and strengthening adaptive beliefs.
The theory behind this type of therapy is that information processing of traumatic experiences is incomplete, resulting in unprocessed information in memory.
EMDR Controversy and Implementation Effects
Although some systematic reviews of the literature have shown that EMDR is comparable to other treatment techniques (such as cognitive behavioral therapy) in alleviating PTSD symptoms, some experts remain skeptical of its effectiveness. Many EMDR studies have been questioned for their reliability due to small sample sizes and poor control group design. In this context, some experts view EMDR as a "purple hat therapy," meaning that its effectiveness depends more on other factors in the treatment process than on EMDR itself.
Some critics point out that EMDR's eye movement method lacks scientific basis and question the underlying mechanism of the therapy.
EMDR Training and Development
Regarding how to effectively implement EMDR, the design and requirements of the training system have also caused a lot of controversy. Initially, EMDR training standards were relatively loose, but as research data grew, adjustments to the pessimistic conclusions seemed to increase the length and cost of training, which posed a challenge to some professionals.
Other applications and unanswered questions in mental health
In addition to PTSD, EMDR has also been used to treat other mental health disorders, such as depression and anxiety, but the results vary. According to a 2021 systematic review, EMDR is relatively effective for some anxiety disorders, but its effectiveness for panic disorder was listed as "ineffective." Despite this, the therapy has gradually become popular among celebrities, including Britain's Prince Harry and some entertainers, who have undergone it to relieve their psychological trauma.
While EMDR has its supporters, many studies emphasize the need for caution in using the therapy and stress that the underlying psychotherapeutic approach is more important than the formal eye movements or stimulation.
Francine Shapiro, who created the EMDR therapy, may have inadvertently reflected the psychotherapy community's desire for innovative therapies, but the true effectiveness of EMDR is still worthy of in-depth research and exploration. Among these many views, do you think EMDR can meet our expectations for treating psychological trauma?
