Mel B, a former Spice Girl, is shining light on her experience with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and her success with Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy (Shannon-Karasik, 2018). In short, EMDR therapy has patients focus on left-to-right eye movements, while focusing on traumatic memories, which leads to change in how the traumatic memories are stored in the brain. Mel B has positive reviews of EMDR and hopes that speaking out will empower others to seek treatment for mental health concerns.
Numerous research has been conducted on the effectiveness of EMDR. In studies where EMDR was used on Veterans with combat-related PTSD, there were significant improvements in PTSD symptoms (McLay et al., 2016). Marich (2010) found that EMDR was an essential and effective part of addiction treatment. Another study found that EMDR played a significant role in helping a young child who experienced a single incident trauma resolve PTSD symptoms within a 5-month time frame (Banbury, 2016).
Many researchers believe that EMDR is successful because talk therapy only deals with the left side of the brain, while EMDR stimulates both brain hemispheres (Huso, 2010). Since humans think seven times faster than they talk, it allows for an enhanced mental experience.
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy can help with many conditions:
• Anxiety
• Complicated grief
• Phobias
• PTSD
• Stress reduction
• Addiction
• Body dysmorphic disorders
• Personality disorders
• Pain management
• Conduct disorders
• Obsessive compulsive disorder
For more information about EMDR or to schedule an appointment, please contact Borum and Associates at 863-608-9392.
Banbury, N. M. (2016). Case study: Play therapy and eye movement desensitization and reprocessing for pediatric single incident posttraumatic stress disorder and developmental regression. International Journal of Play Therapy, 25(3), 166-174. doi:10.1037/pla0000026
Huso, D.R. (2010). Treating child abuse trauma with EMDR. Social Work Today, 10(2), 20.
McLay, R. N., Webb-Murphy, J. A., Fesperman, S. F., Delaney, E. M., Gerard, S. K., Roesch, S. C., & … Johnston, S. L. (2016). Outcomes from eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in active-duty service members with posttraumatic stress disorder. Psychological Trauma: Theory, Research, Practice, and Policy, 8(6), 702-708. doi:10.1037/tra0000120
Marich, J. (2010). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in addiction continuing care: A phenomenological study of women in recovery. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 24(3), 498-507. doi:10.1037/a0018574
Shannon-Karasik, C. (2018). Why it’s so important that Mel B is seeking treatment for PTSD. Women’s Health. Retrieved from https://www.womenshealthmag.com/health/a22839642/mel-b-treatment-ptsd/
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