hurtssomuch
07-07-06, 18:55
i have lived with PTSD for 32 years, people say i am a survivor, but with PTSD it seems the torture of what happened to me never stopped, i live it day in and day out, but i have never given up hope, ive tryed medication, every form of therapy recomended, and some not, i have read and studied my illness and tryed to uinderstand it and through that hoped it would get better, well in some ways understanding did help in some areas, but not the flashbacks, or night mares, guilt and shame, depression, or thoughts of inadaquasy, and i will not even go into the sexual issues i have developed,
but an understanding into why did help me realise that some of these things are a part of me now and always will be, and i at least knew enough to except them, but in the last few years i have heard wonderious things about this for of therapy called EMDR, its Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, over the last few years i have been trying to find a therapist to start this therapy with,
but this is a specailized therapy, i have found therapists that deal with police officers, or firemen, soldiers, and even other therapists, but none that specailize in rape, molestation, and childhood abuse, apperently each type of trama has a different cause and there for affect, and each must be treated differently, which makes total sence to me, and i was told when i talked to a therapist that did EMDR, its very intence,
that i will have to relive the trama, and do it several times a week for a few months, but that theres an average of 90% improvement with all simptoms of PTSD, in all patents, this is the posted theory and the treatment schedule
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)1 integrates elements of many effective psychotherapies in structured protocols that are designed to maximize treatment effects. These include psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies2. EMDR is an information processing therapy and uses an eight phase approach.
During EMDR1 the client attends to past and present experiences in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Then the client is instructed to let new material become the focus of the next set of dual attention. This sequence of dual attention and personal association is repeated many times in the session.
Eight Phases of Treatment
The first phase is a history taking session during which the therapist assesses the client's readiness for EMDR and develops a treatment plan. Client and therapist identify possible targets for EMDR processing. These include recent distressing events, current situations that elicit emotional disturbance, related historical incidents, and the development of specific skills and behaviors that will be needed by the client in future situations.
During the second phase of treatment, the therapist ensures that the client has adequate methods of handling emotional distress and good coping skills, and that the client is in a relatively stable state. If further stabilization is required, or if additional skills are needed, therapy focuses on providing these. The client is then able to use stress reducing techniques whenever necessary, during or between sessions. However, one goal is not to need these techniques once therapy is complete.
In phase three through six, a target is identified and processed using EMDR procedures. These involve the client identifying the most vivid visual image related to the memory (if available), a negative belief about self, related emotions and body sensations. The client also identifies a preferred positive belief. The validity of the positive belief is rated, as is the intensity of the negative emotions.
After this, the client is instructed to focus on the image, negative thought, and body sensations while simultaneously moving his/her eyes back and forth following the therapist's fingers as they move across his/her field of vision for 20-30 seconds or more, depending upon the need of the client. Athough eye movements are
but an understanding into why did help me realise that some of these things are a part of me now and always will be, and i at least knew enough to except them, but in the last few years i have heard wonderious things about this for of therapy called EMDR, its Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, over the last few years i have been trying to find a therapist to start this therapy with,
but this is a specailized therapy, i have found therapists that deal with police officers, or firemen, soldiers, and even other therapists, but none that specailize in rape, molestation, and childhood abuse, apperently each type of trama has a different cause and there for affect, and each must be treated differently, which makes total sence to me, and i was told when i talked to a therapist that did EMDR, its very intence,
that i will have to relive the trama, and do it several times a week for a few months, but that theres an average of 90% improvement with all simptoms of PTSD, in all patents, this is the posted theory and the treatment schedule
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)1 integrates elements of many effective psychotherapies in structured protocols that are designed to maximize treatment effects. These include psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies2. EMDR is an information processing therapy and uses an eight phase approach.
During EMDR1 the client attends to past and present experiences in brief sequential doses while simultaneously focusing on an external stimulus. Then the client is instructed to let new material become the focus of the next set of dual attention. This sequence of dual attention and personal association is repeated many times in the session.
Eight Phases of Treatment
The first phase is a history taking session during which the therapist assesses the client's readiness for EMDR and develops a treatment plan. Client and therapist identify possible targets for EMDR processing. These include recent distressing events, current situations that elicit emotional disturbance, related historical incidents, and the development of specific skills and behaviors that will be needed by the client in future situations.
During the second phase of treatment, the therapist ensures that the client has adequate methods of handling emotional distress and good coping skills, and that the client is in a relatively stable state. If further stabilization is required, or if additional skills are needed, therapy focuses on providing these. The client is then able to use stress reducing techniques whenever necessary, during or between sessions. However, one goal is not to need these techniques once therapy is complete.
In phase three through six, a target is identified and processed using EMDR procedures. These involve the client identifying the most vivid visual image related to the memory (if available), a negative belief about self, related emotions and body sensations. The client also identifies a preferred positive belief. The validity of the positive belief is rated, as is the intensity of the negative emotions.
After this, the client is instructed to focus on the image, negative thought, and body sensations while simultaneously moving his/her eyes back and forth following the therapist's fingers as they move across his/her field of vision for 20-30 seconds or more, depending upon the need of the client. Athough eye movements are