All expressive and psychodynamic therapies have at their core the notion that painful memories are stored and not forgotten although they might differ in how these memories might be retrieved. In recent years, there has been increased interest and understanding of the nature of trauma and traumatic memory.
Research has shown that one of the most effective ways of dealing with the consequences of severe trauma is a technique known as EMDR. (Eye Movement Densentisation and Reprocessing) which was developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro. The process has been shown to be extremely effective in removing the symptoms of psychological trauma which are a consequence of unresolved traumatic events. Such events can be physically life threatening such as car accidents, war experiences, physical assaults and natural disasters or they can be emotionally life threatening such as childhood sexual abuse or neglect. More recently there is good evidence for EMDR being useful in resolving trauma in general.
EMDR is well researched and in 2005 was approved by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence (NICE) as one of only two approved treatments for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. For this reason, in our London trauma clinic, all our therapists have training in the use of EMDR.