The Pros and Cons of EMDR Therapy

NOTE: This article was updated in 2019.

HM writes: “Is EMDR a New Age therapy? I’ve participated in it through my counseling for OCD. It was first presented to me by a Catholic therapist, a wonderful woman who explained that it is effective in people with PTSD and especially OCD because the light bar distracts the front part of the brain, enabling the long-term memory portion of the brain to tap into traumatic memories and reprocess them appropriately. It seemed scientific to me and actually helped calm down many ‘triggers’ for my OCD.

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Dr. Daniel Amen Offers Mixed Bag of Tantric Sex, Eye Movement Therapy and Brain Scans

AT writes: “There is something that is bothering me and I hope you have an answer for me. I went to your blog and was surprised by the number of TV personalities that believe in these new age practices.  The name Dr. Daniel Amen jumped out at me. About 5 years ago I went to a Christian counselor who is a follower of Dr. Daniel Amen.  She suggested a therapy to me called EMDR (eye movement desensitization restoration). I did have one EMDR session.  Is this therapy connected to Dr. Amen? If so, is it considered a New Age practice? 

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