Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing - is an evidence based global psychotherapy. It is fully endorsed by the World Health Organization, the American Psychiatric Association, Veterans Administration and a host of other organizations.

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The model on which EMDR is based - the adaptive information processing model, or AIP, posits that much of psychopathology is due to the maladaptive encoding of and or incomplete processing of traumatic and disturbing adverse life events.  This impairs a person's ability to integrate these experiences in an adaptive manner.

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EMDR targets past experience, current triggers, and future potential challenges. This results in the alleviation of presenting symptoms, a decrease or elimination of distress from the disturbing memory, improved view of the self, relief from bodily disturbance, and resolution of present and future anticipated triggers.

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Although EMDR may produce results more rapidly than other forms of therapy, speed is not the issue, and it is important to remember that every client has different needs. For instance, one client may take weeks to establish sufficient feelings of trust (Phase Two), while another may proceed quickly through the first six phases of treatment only to reveal, then, something even more important that needs treatment. Also, treatment is not complete until EMDR therapy has focused on the past memories that are contributing to the problem, the present situations that are disturbing, and what skills the client may need for the future.