Hi. Someone please explain to me what EMDR therapy or treatment does. I have suffered with PTSD for years and am interested in solutions and help for this. Thank you. Mykinzie....

Here is a thread about EMDR Tharapy Mykinzie...it seems to affect people differently. http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread58553.html

This can be a very powerful tool if used correctly by a good therapist. I had it done for a phobia many years ago. And it helped alot.

I have a friend who had it done for an abuse history as well.

Make sure the therapist is certified and trained in this.
After a while you can do it yourself to calm any panic or trouble sleeping. I've used it several times for that since my initial treatment.

I have a very good friend who is a therapist and using this method of
treatment. She has had amazing results with her clients. My bff is currently
trying this. I hope it helps her as she lost a daughter to cancer when she
was five....she needs help. I pray it works.

Hi,
Did you find someone to do EMDR with you? if so how did it go?

I had this therapy done years ago after one of my best friends committed suicide.

I could not believe how amazing it was and it helped me tremendously.
My therapist explained it like this: she said when we cry deeply or go through something and our coping mechanisms shut down, we tend to look straight ahead. This doesn't allow us to access parts of the brain that help us remember positive things, cope with trauma or move forward.

Watching the light go back and forth allowed me to remember events as that I had "forgotten about" (ie that it was not my fault that my friend took his life). When I cried, I couldn't watch the light, so she tapped my left knee, then my right and continued.

I left that appointment feeling lighter. It was meant to be 7 sessions, and i had reached a healthy state with closure before session 6.
I also saw this therapist for phobias but with different techniques.

If the therapist is good, this can be a wonderful option.
Good luck!

I see that this is an old post, but I will chime in on the EMDR and PTSD. My son was about 9 when he was abused and witnessed abuse of his class mates in a before/after school child care center.

After many years of traditional therapy, medications, phsychiatrists, phsychologists, we tried the EMDR. Prior to the EMDR, my son had even attempted suicide 3 times at the age of 11!! I learned so much about PTSD and EMDR. I also learned about how dates and weather become a clue and such an important part of a patient with PTSD. Any changes in any thing was also a problem, he wanted consistency, he HATED male substitute teachers, it even took him half the school year to become comfortable and trust the teachers!

We found a therapist that was trained in EMDR, checked out her references, checked her out through the hospital he had stayed in after the attempts. It worked!!!! With her help, he even managed to come off the medications!

My son is now 17 years old. He is more responsible than many adults in their mid 20s. He may appear to have an "old soul" at times, but that is understandable. I am so fortunate and glad that we found out about EMDR, as it is a wonderful thing!!

I have been engaging in EMDR for about two years, I have a history of childhood sexual abuse (about 9 years) and I am finding it very dificult to learn how to "manage" extreem emotion. I am wondering if there is anyone out there that has had a simular experince

I had thr bulk of my therapy with extraordinary woman and her partner who was part of the weekly support group and healing retreats. They knew the abuse subject and how to do what was needed in a kind and gentle way. I never felt pushed which is a huge huge thing for me. When I asked my therapist about EMDR once she said it was not that different than what we already were doing around release and memory work. I didnt pursue then as what we did worked for me and I fully trusted her.

After my health started to fail I dropped away from therapy as I couldnt get there. When I wanted to restart mainly out of stress of the illness I found someone that knew EMDR to see if I wanted to try it. For me I need a very very soft demeanored person. And they have to be a she and very gentle. It seemed like it was gonna work. I saw her for about a year when heath was good enough. I became frustrated that she never, tho I started to ask, do the EMDR. I to this day dont know why. I dont think she understood me, my background and how strong I am.

I have to sign off cause of my eyes. I have myasthenia gravis and my eyes are in abd shape. If you wish to speak more email for message me privately.

Annie59