Use of eye movement to reduce stress after trauma

In 1987 an accidental discovery revealed an association between certain eye movements and reduced levels of distress resulting from traumatic memories. The result was a new psychological intervention, eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR). The treatment consists of generating rapid and rhythmic eye movements while simultaneously holding traumatic images, thoughts and emotions in the active memory. This paper describes the experiences of one psychotherapist in using EMDR to treat people with post-traumatic stress disorder. Six case studies illustrate aspects of this complex treatment.