Trauma and the brain
When a person encounters horrific or traumatic experiences, their brain cannot process information as it does ordinarily. One moment becomes "frozen in time" and remembering a trauma may feel as bad as going through it the first time because the images, sounds, smells, and feelings have not changed. Brain areas implicated in the stress response include the amygdala, hippocampus, and prefrontal cortex. Traumatic stress can be associated with lasting changes in these brain areas and an increase in cortisol and norepinephrine.
EMDR has a direct effect on the way that the brain processes information. Normal information processing is resumed, so following an EMDR session, the person is still able to remember, but their body is no longer reliving the experiences.
EMDR mimics the process that naturally occurs during the REM (rapid eye movement) cycle of sleep.
What is EMDR?
In 1987, psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro made the chance observation that eye movements, or bilateral stimulation, can reduce the intensity of disturbing thoughts under certain conditions. Dr. Shaprio studied this effect scientifically, and later published reported success using EMDR to treat victims of trauma.
Repeated studies show that by using EMDR therapy people can experience the benefits of psychotherapy that once took years to make a difference. It is widely assumed that severe emotional pain requires a long time to heal. EMDR therapy shows that the mind can in fact heal from psychological trauma much as the body recovers from physical trauma. When you cut your hand, your body works to close the wound. If a foreign object or repeated injury irritates the wound, it festers and causes pain. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.
EMDR therapy demonstrates that a similar sequence of events occurs with mental processes. The brain’s information processing system naturally moves toward mental health. If the system is blocked or imbalanced by the impact of a disturbing event, the emotional wound festers and can cause intense suffering. Once the block is removed, healing resumes.