There is a kind of treatment called EMDR therapy that has gained a lot of traction in recent years. If you’re interested in EMDR therapy, Orange County has some of the best medical practitioners who can start a program with you. 

Before you look into these programs, though, you should know more about this particular therapeutic method. Let’s discuss it in detail right now.

What Exactly is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR means eye movement desensitization and reprocessing. Some in the medical community think it has a lot of potential, though it has its detractors as well. Francine Shapiro first developed it back in 1987.

The reason for it is to remove any distress that someone might associate with certain traumatic memories that continue to plague them. Many individuals can potentially benefit from it, and it has become instrumental in the treatment of several relatively common conditions widely afflicting the general public.   

Why Has It Become So Popular Lately?

One of the reasons why EMDR therapy use is on the rise is because of how many people are being diagnosed with PTSD. PTSD, or post-traumatic stress disorder, is regularly associated with soldiers returning from combat. They may have seen or done things that stay with them and that they can’t stop thinking about. 

However, not just former or current soldiers can develop PTSD. There are many others who can develop it, and EMDR therapy seems to have a positive result for many of these individuals. That is a huge reason why it continues to be used today.  

Who Can Benefit from It the Most?

Former soldiers who can’t seem to shake their painful memories would be perfect candidates for EMDR therapy, but there are many others who can try it as well. Someone who survived a violent crime like a rape, kidnapping, or an armed robbery might be a candidate. 

You might also try it if you survived a natural disaster like an earthquake or a flood. Survivors of an animal attack may also try it.

What Happens During EMDR Therapy?

When someone undergoing this treatment focuses on the traumatic event in a supervised setting, the therapist uses side-to-side eye movements, taps, or repetitive sounds. The person undergoing the therapy is then instructed to be mindful of what happens during this process.

The idea is that they will begin to feel or think differently about the event. Essentially, the treatment is supposed to rewire the brain so that it does not focus on the events in question, or, if it does, it will not regard them as being as traumatic as it once did. 

Based on that description, you might understand why some therapists aren’t convinced about the efficacy of the treatment. However, someone who’s trying to process painful events might benefit from it.