EMDR ( Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is among the successful therapy methods applied in the field of trauma, especially childhood traumas. Every experience we encounter from the moment we are born (every event from a child learning new words to a young person starting a new school, a traffic accident or the loss of a loved one) is processed by the mind. When neglect, abuse (physical, emotional, sexual) or various traumatic experiences (human-created traumas such as imprisonment, torture, accidents, injuries, natural disasters) occur in early childhood and this event is not sufficiently processed by the mind, the details about the event (such as sounds, smells, pictures, feelings and thoughts at the time of the event) are locked into the hemisphere of the brain that deals more with emotional records. The individual’s effort to make sense of the traumatic event they experience and the explanations they come up with occur in the left hemisphere of the brain. EMDR establishes a connection between these two hemispheres and carries out the therapy protocol by eliminating this congestion/blockage between the body and the mind. During the application, there is simultaneous stimulation of both hemispheres. In the EMDR protocol, unlike talk therapy, images, sounds and content related to the traumatic event come to mind more quickly.
EMDR Application
EMDR is a therapeutic intervention that involves stimulating the brain through eye movements, sounds, or vibration. The aim is to help the individual connect with the traumatic experience through sensory experiences, thereby overcoming symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and anger.
During EMDR, the person is asked to create an image related to the trauma they experienced, hold this image in their mind, generate thoughts with this image, and pay attention to their emotions and body reactions related to the event. While the person follows these instructions, some practices are carried out that aim to activate the right and left hemispheres of the brain simultaneously; for example, the person is asked to move their eyes from side to side while following the therapist’s fingers. There are other ways to stimulate the right and left hemispheres (such as touching the person’s hands alternately). During these practices, the person is fully conscious and the brain does all the work. There is no right or wrong during this process; everything that occurs in the person’s mind is considered to be right.
EMDR application aims to establish new connections regarding traumatic memories, thus reducing sensitivity to events that may remind one of the traumatic experience in the future and enabling the person to cope with such associations.
As a result of EMDR studies, it is seen that the person remembers the traumatic event, but is free of the negative emotions that occur when they remember that event. EMDR applications usually last 1-3 sessions and the success rate is quite high, as confirmed by research.
EMDR Application in Children
Being exposed to emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse during childhood, peer bullying, accidents, events that threaten physical integrity can lead to post-traumatic stress disorder. The child’s sense of security is damaged and the child may think that the world is untrustworthy. The traumatic memory may be a single event or may have occurred for a long time/repeatedly. As a result of all these experiences, the child may feel anxiety, panic, fear of death, anger, sadness, and powerlessness. If the traumatic event experienced by the child comes from the primary caregiver(s), the child’s sense of security is damaged much more seriously. They may have difficulty trusting others and maintaining relationships. The effects of the traumatic event in children are observed through reactions such as nightmares at night, feelings of discomfort and avoidance when exposed to stimuli that remind them of the traumatic event.
In EMDR applications with children, support can also be obtained from play therapy. In children, exposure-based treatment protocols such as “Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” are relatively more common in dealing with traumatic events. However, it is known that EMDR applications are also used in addition to exposure and that they yield relatively faster results compared to adults. There are application areas from the period when language/speech skills are not yet acquired to advanced ages. It is used not only in children who have not acquired speech skills, but also in individuals who are reluctant to talk about the event they experienced. It is especially recommended to use it in traumatic content related to a “specific event or moment”. Despite this, EMDR may not always be the appropriate treatment protocol for children. It is important for the individual to be in a safe environment and to trust the therapist during EMDR application; however, in child applications, it is very critical to ensure the child’s safety and that the traumatic event will not recur during the treatment process. It is also necessary to be careful about its use in patients receiving medical treatment or inpatients. EMDR application may not be appropriate in such cases.
For EMDR application in children, it is very important to receive therapy support from people who have received special training in this field and are competent in working with children, in order to avoid harming the child and to ensure the child’s best interests.
