has anyone heard of EMDR or have experience with it?

[byfaith]

www.emdria.org/?page=2

EYE MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION AND REPROCESSING THERAPY

[schwing]

I've never received had the therapy but I have a good friend who has.

As I understand it, the recipient is instructed to move their eyes in a fashion that seems to mimic the way our eyes move in R.E.M. sleep.  And somehow, this seems to dislodge potentially traumatic memories from our unconscious.

In any case, my friend, who I'm fairly certain was raised by BPD and N/BPD parents, felt pretty miserable during the EMDR therapy.  I guess in a way he was re-experiencing his trauma (I can't say what it was).  And I think he was trying to "get over" his trauma as quickly as possible. But I believe he got too overwhelmed with the therapy and discontinued.

[Skip]

We have a discussion here:

https://bpdfamily.com/message_board/index.php?topic=37825.0

[Cat Familiar]

I've done it with a couple of therapists and it's been helpful for some of the traumatic events in my life. I didn't re-live the trauma during the experience and it was quite pleasant.

A friend who has major PTSD from military deployment was helped by it too.

[Ceruleanblue]

My therapist, who I think it pretty smart and amazing, mentioned that BPDh might benefit from it. She had a lot of sessions with him because we went to her for marriage therapy also. She knew he was in DBT, but he isn't really working the program. My gut tells me EMDR probably wouldn't help him either. I mean, you have to want to get better, right? And he doesn't.