Recently, I had the pleasure of being interviewed by Carme Escales, journalist of El Periodico de Catalunya on the subject of EMDR. I was one of three professionals featured who utilize EMDR in their practice.
"Trauma is that experience that sabotages our senses and our capacity to reason. It awakens the limbic system which leads us to flee, fight or freeze.....Through this process, we remain trapped in that physiological response without access to our often developed reasoning capabilities."
It was satisfying to learn that, although not as widely practiced or known about in Spain, EMDR as a therapeutic tool is becoming of interest and of value in the psychotherapeutic community here. I am grateful to have been part of this informative and encouraging journalistic endeavor from one of Spain's major publications.
"We all carry residuals of memories, accumulated throughout our life that continue to impact our functioning. EMDR helps to create a physiological and neurobiological opportunity that helps us process these memories and the negative cognitions that accompany them with more rational and adaptive perspectives."
EMDR, a protocol, now in use for over 25 years, has been widely used to treat a variety of issues related to trauma, including grief, phobias, depression and anxiety. It has been widely used in the US Military since the 1990's for treatment of trauma related symptoms in veterans and in 2013, the WHO endorsed that EMDR was an effective protocol to treat issues related to trauma.
"EMDR is part of a promising and effective network of somatic therapies that focus on the role that our bodies, our neurology, our endocrine system, play in the integration, processing and healing of our mental health issues and which can deeply affect our functioning."
It's hopeful to think that protocols, tools and information which prove to be effective in the treatment of trauma, depression and anxiety and which are integrative, inclusive and empowering of our innate somatic and biological resources, are now part of the therapeutic conversation.
Read the entire article here (in spanish):
https://www.elperiodico.com/es/sanidad/20180702/movimiento-ocular-inducido-como-borrador-de-traumas-6919581