Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) psychotherapy is an information processing therapy and uses an eight phase approach to address the experiential contributors of a wide range of mental health disorders. It attends to the past experiences that have set the groundwork for mental health disorders, the current situations that trigger dysfunctional emotions, beliefs and sensations, and the positive experiences needed to enhance future adaptive behaviors and mental health.
The goal of EMDR therapy is to process completely the experiences that are causing problems, and to include new ones that are needed for full health. “Processing” does not mean talking about it. “Processing” means setting up a learning state that will allow experiences that are causing problems to be “digested” and stored appropriately in your brain. That means that what is useful to you from an experience will be learned, and stored with appropriate emotions in your brain, and be able to guide you in positive ways in the future. The inappropriate emotions, beliefs, and body sensations will be discarded. Negative emotions, feelings and behaviors are generally caused by unresolved earlier experiences that are pushing you in the wrong directions. The goal of EMDR therapy is to leave you with the emotions, understanding, and perspectives that will lead to healthy and useful behaviors and interactions.