The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences (The Permanente Journal)

The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences

Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. outlines research that EMDR therapy in medicine can address adverse life experiences that contribute to both psychological and physical symptoms.

Article Abstract

“Background: A substantial body of research shows that adverse life experiences contribute to both psychological and biomedical pathology. Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an empirically validated treatment for trauma, including such negative life experiences as commonly present in medical practice. The positive therapeutic outcomes rapidly achieved without homework or detailed description of the disturbing event offer the medical community an efficient treatment approach with a wide range of applications.

Methods: All randomized studies and significant clinical reports related to EMDR therapy for treating the experiential basis of both psychological and somatic disorders are reviewed. Also reviewed are the recent studies evaluating the eye movement component of the therapy, which has been posited to contribute to the rapid improvement attributable to EMDR treatment.

Results: Twenty-four randomized controlled trials support the positive effects of EMDR therapy in the treatment of emotional trauma and other adverse life experiences relevant to clinical practice. Seven of 10 studies reported EMDR therapy to be more rapid and/or more effective than trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. Twelve randomized studies of the eye movement component noted rapid decreases in negative emotions and/or vividness of disturbing images, with an additional 8 reporting a variety of other memory effects. Numerous other evaluations document that EMDR therapy provides relief from a variety of somatic complaints.

Conclusion: EMDR therapy provides physicians and other clinicians with an efficient approach to address psychological and physiologic symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. Clinicians should therefore evaluate patients for experiential contributors to clinical manifestations.”

—Description from publisher

Article Access

Open Access

Shapiro, F. (2014). The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences. The Permanente Journal, 18(1), 71-77. https://doi.org/10.7812/TPP/13-098

About the Author

Francine Shapiro, Ph.D. (1948–2019) was the founder of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy. A licensed psychologist and Senior Research Fellow at the Mental Research Institute (CA), she founded the EMDR Institute and encouraged the development of the EMDR International Association (EMDRIA). Dr. Shapiro authored many books and articles including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy: Basic Principles, Protocols, and Procedures in its 3rd edition in 2018, and Getting past your past: Take control of your life with self-help techniques from EMDR therapy (2012). She was a frequent presenter and teacher and won numerous awards including the California Psychological Association’s Distinguished Scientific Achievement in Psychology Award in 1993 and the International Sigmund Freud Award for Psychotherapy in 2002.

About the Journal

“The Permanente Journal is a MEDLINE-indexed, peer-reviewed journal of clinical medicine and health care delivery science published by The Permanente Federation. Free full-text access is available online. We welcome submissions from all disciplines related to medicine.”

—Description from publisher

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The role of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) therapy in medicine: Addressing the psychological and physical symptoms stemming from adverse life experiences (The Permanente Journal)