The goal of EMDR is for an individual to feel no distress or the least amount of distress possible when confronted with a traumatic memory, thought or prompting event.
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is still the subject of some controversy despite being recognized by the World Health Organization and the United States Veterans Affairs, Center for PTSD as one of three strongly recommended, evidence based models of care for PTSD. EMDR uses many of the same techniques as other therapies including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
EMDR simply repackages what’s always been done in a way that is contained in the session which, from my perspective, reduces risk and adds a level of convenience for the client (no homework). Every session should end with a wind down which can include skills from other modalities (like DBT) to reduce the distress a client feels prior to leaving the office. The only thing that’s truly unique about EMDR is the use of bilateral stimulation during the processing of an event (left to right eye movements and/or pulses and/or sounds) and even that has precedence in earlier forms of art therapy. In my experience, EMDR works best when you learn basic distress tolerance skills prior to starting the treatment.
Although used in the treatment of PTSD, I have also used it quite successfully with “small t traumas”, social anxiety, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder within the context of CBT/DBT as an enhancement.
To learn more about EMDR check out the EMDRIA website.