What is EMDR –
EMDR is a technique initially devised by John Grindler from the NLP world and after a discussion with Francine Shapiro who had a difficult client, Shapiro took the idea and developed John Grindlers idea and constructed EMDR. (Source John Grindler)
Phases of EMDR – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) Therapy
History-taking and Treatment Planning
During the EMDR consultation, the therapist will take the relevant historical notes and whats planned.
Preparation
The EMDR equipment and process will be explained to the client
Assessment
During the EMDR session, it’s important to identify how the sessions are improving or making the situation worse, which can happen. This is done by using the SUDS scale, as shown below.
Validity of Cognition (VOC) scale
| The clinician asks, “When you think of the incident, how true do those words (repeat the positive cognition) feel to you now on a scale of 1-7, where 1 feels completely false and 7 feels totally true?” | ||||||||
| Completely false | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Completely true |
Subjective Units of Disturbance (SUD) scale
| After the client has named the emotion he or she is feeling, the clinician asks, “On a scale of 0-10, where 0 is no disturbance or neutral and 10 is the highest disturbance you can imagine, how disturbing does it feel now?” | ||||||||||||
| No disturbance | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | possible |
Desensitization
The process of desensitization starts with the EMDR process
Installation
This process in EMDR starts the process to install new beliefs
Body Scan
The client will scan their body to assess any physical changes or changes that may have happened
Closure
The session will come to an end and the new targets will be set.
Re-evaluation
The next session will uncover or tell us whats happened.
EMDR is a very long and drawn-out process, it s offered by the national health service but shouldn’t be seen as a great process for everyone. In any case, it’s client-based, but please find a competent EMDR practitioner.
Be safe out there
Karl Smith
UK Hypnosis Academy