I have found that many clients enter therapy believing they are depressed or anxious, and as we explore their history we find that these symptoms are actually untreated traumatic experiences.  These memories can effect one’s self-esteem and contribute to feelings of guilt and shame that keep us stuck in an unhealthy narrative. One of the most effective tools I use to work with trauma is EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), an efficient form of psychotherapy that originated by Francine Shapiro in 1987.  Since then, after years of more than 30 positive controlled outcome studies, EMDR has come to be widely accepted by the therapeutic community to treat the effects of traumatic events.  This therapy technique uses bilateral stimulation (BLS), in the form of eye movements, hand pulsars or audio sounds to stimulate both sides of the brain.  Extensive research has shown that this process enables a client to access and process upsetting memories, and, within a couple sessions, the emotional impact of these memories is significantly lessened.  Negative beliefs that have been adopted because of the trauma also shift, leaving room for new, more positive beliefs (i.e. “I did something wrong” being replaced with “I can trust my judgment, and did the best I could”.)  I utilize EMDR in combination with other appropriate techniques to treat trauma, and only delve into these difficult memories when my client’s are ready and willing to engage in the process.