What is EMDR: Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing?
EMDR is a comprehensive psychotherapy treatment that helps children, young people and adults to process and recover from past experiences that are affecting their mental health and wellbeing. EMDR has been successfully used to treat many problems, including Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, complex or unresolved grief, physical and sexual abuse, phantom limb pain, depression, anxiety, panic attacks, fears and phobias. The process involves using side to side eye movements combined with talking therapy in a specific and structured format.
EMDR can help to resolve troubling symptoms, such as anxiety, guilt, anger, depression, panic, sleep disturbance, nightmares and flashbacks, which may be the result of traumatic experiences. EMDR can also be used to enhance emotional resources such as confidence and self-esteem.
EMDR is recommended by The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) as the first treatment for people with symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mel Phillips
I have over 12 years' experience of working in NHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services as a Senior CAMHS Mental Health Specialist with Children and Young People aged between 5 - 18 years, presenting with wide-ranging emotional and behavioural difficulties, including anxiety, low mood, OCD, as well as within specialist eating disorders and family therapy clinics. I have also worked within specialist CAMHS services specialising in Looked After and Adopted Children and Young People mental health. I am also a qualified Child EMDR Therapist.