Posted by Toby on July 9, 1999, at 12:51:19
In reply to Re: eye movement desensitization-? for Toby, posted by ANNIEM on July 7, 1999, at 6:01:55
> How effective is this treatment? Can it be used as a short term therapy or is or is done in conjuction with other types of treatment?
It is highly effective for the traumas I mentioned in the other post. For a while it was thought that Dr. Shapiro (who "discovered" this) was making up her data in her research papers because the percent of people getting and staying better was so high (like almost 100%) but there have now been more research papers published on this form of therapy for trauma than on any other treatment and all show EMDR to be highly effective. There are some "review" papers that focus on some early research done by people who wre not trained in EMDR and who did some sort of "finger-waving" that they said was EMDR but in fact was not, and of course it got terrible results and so these reviewers say EMDR is not effective. But from my own experience and that of others who use it, it is effective for nearly everyone; even those who have some, shall we say, "reason" for not getting better (disability, lawsuit, dependency issues) and will say to me, "I'm not better," it still is clear from who differently and better they function that some effect has been had.
Anyway, second question: For single traumas or phobias or "simple" issues, EMDR can be used in 1-3 or 4 sessions with pretty much complete resolution of the problem. For someone who has been abused from childhood or had other extensive or long-term trauma, EMDR is often used in conjunction with regular talk therapy or other modes of therapy like relaxation, medications when needed, etc. It won't cure things like depression or psychosis, but can be used in conjunction with meds so that the issues that seem to weigh a person down and perpetuate the depression can be relieved and also in psychosis to improve functioning (and also guilt or hopelessness about having a mental illness).
poster:Toby
thread:8171
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/19990829/msgs/8488.html