Is EMDR therapy magic?

In a general and summarized way, it can be said that EMDR is the name of a model of psychological therapy focused on the trauma which uses, among other things, bilateral stimulation (through eye movements) to change sensitivity associated with traumatic events or situations and reprocess the experience emotional that left us with the main objective of healing the suffering.

• Related article: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: causes and symptoms"

The characteristics of the intervention with EMDR

EMDR is the acronym for 'Eyes Movement Desensibilization and Reprocessing', which in Spanish translates as 'Desensitization and Reprocessing through eye movements'.

I have heard many people say: "this healing 'just' by moving the eyes is magic." And I wonder... What is magic? Following the definition given by the Royal Spanish Academy of Language, magic can be defined as an art or occult science that using natural means, (certain acts or words), produces effects that seem supernatural

Although at the beginning of my personal experience with EMDR I also experienced it as magical, today I can say that nothing is further from the truth. Proof of this is in the strong empirical support achieved through research carried out at an international level in these more than 30 years and the numerous scientific studies published about

the positive effects of treatment on different mental, psycho-emotional, and somatic health problems.

When I started to do some more research on trauma and how EMDR can help, one of the things that gave me the most clarity was one of the ideas written and developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro (2019), explaining that a trauma or other adverse life experience can alter the person's information processing system who experiences it, which causes their perceptions to be stored depending on the altered state that caused and are manifested by pronounced symptoms of different disorders, including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder.

• You may be interested: "Post Traumatic Stress Disorder: causes and symptoms"

Understanding the trauma

EMDR Therapy can help all people: children, adolescents and adults to heal different types of 'traumas' or psychological and emotional wounds that once occurred were not processed and they continue to generate suffering in the person who experienced them.

Usually, Trauma -with a capital T- is usually called unexpected vital events and not controlled by the person that have a great impact on their way of feeling, thinking and acting; Examples of this may be experiences of war, traffic accidents or natural disasters, rape or other sexual abuse.

In addition, in EMDR we also talk and work with the so-called trauma -with a small 't', which refers to different adverse experiences in a person's life that have a significant emotional impact (these are usually relational). They live intensely and also leave a brain 'imprint' of emotions, thoughts and sensations that are activated in present situations that somehow 'awaken' them.

In my experience with EMDR I am working with people with different difficulties or blocks. It offers an invaluable therapeutic approach to work on, reprocess and relieve numerous symptoms of emotional stress that can lead us -for example- to crises of anxiety, The different types of depression, or to intense feelings of anguish associated with different vital moments. Likewise, EMDR is powerful in processing personal issues, from a lack of self-esteem or self-approval to child abuse, immigration traumatic or major emotional loss such as wrongful termination, divorce, or death of a loved one, just to name a few examples.

Currently, EMDR Therapy has ceased to be used in isolation as a simple therapy 'technique' (as this article began by saying) to become a a comprehensive psychotherapeutic approach, complete, solid and supported by the clinical and scientific community. Hence the importance of going to therapists endorsed in Spain by the EMDR Association, an organization that follows a rigorous qualification and certification process to guarantee the safety of people who decide on this therapy to overcome traumatic or emotionally stressful events in their lives, thus achieving greater vital well-being general.

Take a step for yourself; end your suffering, it is possible; the key is also within you. EMDR can help you by stimulating your brain: it is your mind that best knows the way to heal and it will teach us.