"Tapping" and EMDR... related strategies?

[Abraxis]

Vin mentions EMDR, a therapeutic technique often used to treat PTSD, on Dating Diablo. I did a little research on the various means employed by this method. It usually begins with some kind of mental or physical picture that represents the trauma and stimulus of various kinds (usually either auditory or kinesthetic) is employed to engage both sides of the brain while the therapist has the patient track a moving object with their eyes. The idea is to activate different parts of the brain while focusing on the trauma so that every aspect of it may be dealt with at once. I realized that many of the same things occur when you do Magnus’ “Inner Game Tapping.” I’ve dabbled with that a little and did see a decrease in approach anxiety, but wondered if that was just placebo. Now I’m not so sure. I’m going to try more tapping and see what I can achieve with it, since approach anxiety can still be an issue for me. Are the parallels in these techniques just superficial, or is inner game tapping actually a sort of poor-man’s EMDR? Thoughts?

-Will

[Rogue]

One theory (which sounds valid to me) is that wether you do the tapping or the eye movement you're occupying the conscious mind while instructing the unconscious (or sub conscious) mind with your desired result/programming.
In hypnosis you bypass the conscious mind in yet another way.
So that's a good thing.
Your question on it being a placebo is a fun one. Placebo means in the medical community something like: something worked but we didn't do it.
Personally I don't care what works as long as I get the desired result. Placebo is usually better than medication because it has no undesired side effects. Better from a patient's point of view, not from a farmaceutical company's because it is a lot harder to sell (since it's not predictable when it will work, if at all). My advice, if what you're doing is working, keep doing it. If it doesn't (anymore) do something else.

[Box]

I used EMDR to work on my approach anxiety. I figured I wouldn't mess around, so I found one of the leading trainers in the field to take me in.

It was a very interesting process. I still have lots of hesitation about approaching, but there is a certain calmness to all of it that was never there before. During EMDR I just sort of daydreamed about past experiences that might be getting in my way, like past rejections. Most of these I've never really been able to directly replay in my mind for some reason, but during EMDR I just replayed them in a calm way, sometimes revisiting them 3 or 4 times during later sessions. After each session I somehow felt more confident and at peace. Exactly how or why I can not say.

Unfortunately I moved to a different city mid-way through the process. I had completed the 1st part of the process, rehashing old memories. When I moved we had just started the 2nd part, which was to rehearse in my mind future pickup scenarios.

I recommend that people give EMDR a try. As a scientist I was very reluctant at first, as the method seems like complete B.S. However, doing some searching I found that studies with PTSD do show verifyable results even though there is no good theory as to why it works. So it makes sense that it would also work with AA.

--Box

[Box]

By the way, tapping is usually associated with EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique), not EMDR. I don't know much more about EFT...

--Box

[Everest]

So like Box I am went for my first appointment to one of the best EMDR specialists in the country. I have tried self hypnosis which has a calming effect but has done little for me consciously anyway. I discovered innergametapping.com and tried Magus's Tapping routine and I still use it today as I have had great success with it. Doesn't make all the bad juju go away but definitely dulls what ever is bothering you.

Then I read this post and heard Vin talk about EMDR so I looked into it and decided to give it a try. Funny side note, I gamed my psychotherapist. Not because I wanted her but just because everyone I come accross is good for social practice. However the story is amusing so I will tell it.

I met with a therapist named Laura who is about 60ish I would say. When I showed up for my appointment she was all business and kind of sour. I filled out some paperwork and sat in the comfy chair and we started to talk about why I was there. About 5 minutes into the session her demeanor just changed and you could see a gleam in her eye and her posture straightened up and she became really interested in everything I had to say. She told me that I was the most open and aware client she has ever talked to. She was very impressed with my abitlity to communicate my feelings which is essential for EMDR to work effectively. Basically I ended up being the poster child for EMDR and she said I should see some dramatic improvement in my AA. At the end of the first session she was laughing and was absolutely overjoyed to have met me. I laughed all the way home as I realized I how much I have improved socially over the past year.

I will keep you all up to date as I actually start my EMDR treatments in the next 2 weeks. Cool thing is I plan on taking Drills later in the fall and hopefully this will help me so I can make the most of the in field instruction


Peace,
Everest

[bossyboots]

Your question on it being a placebo is a fun one. Placebo means in the medical community something like: something worked but we didn't do it.
Personally I don't care what works as long as I get the desired result. Placebo is usually better than medication because it has no undesired side effects. Better from a patient's point of view, not from a farmaceutical company's because it is a lot harder to sell (since it's not predictable when it will work, if at all).

Hey...just wanted to clear something up about placebo and why it's important to understand how it works.

Actually, the Placebo Effect is not simply an unexplained recovery. It's a change in symptoms as a result of someone's belief that they've undergone some therapy that will cause their symptoms to change.

It's very real, it's very powerful, and it makes it very difficult to discern genuinely effective treatments.

So, if I feel better, what does it matter if it's Placebo?
Because over time placebo's tend to stop working.
While you're investing your time and money in a particular treatment with the belief that it's working you could be pursuing something that will bring about lasting change.

There are a lot of people out there offering to cure you of whatever ails you if you buy their book, their drug or their program. Everyone has a story about how their sister tried this or that and was cured. Some may be valid. Some may not.

It's important to be able to distinguish between hoaxes and treatments that are truly effective. I'm not saying that everything must be proved in a double-blind random controlled trial before you consider it. But realize that just because something makes sense or sounds like it should work, or worked for some people, doesn't mean that it will for you.

I know very little about EMDR so I won't comment on it. I just wanted Will to know that his concern was valid and he shouldn't dismiss it.

Hope this is helpful.

Zach

[i.am.animal]

I agree with Zach about the placebo effect. He put it much more eloquently than I can spit out right now off the top of my head, so I won't butcher that by rehashing it.

Just out of curiosity, how much do these EMDR sessions cost, and what resources have you used to make sure someone is qualified and really good, etc.?

Thanks.

[Everest]

Each Session is $100.00 Since she is a psychotherapist my insurance covers it. She has been teaching EMDR since its development in the late 80's early 90's. Her credentials are posted in her office and it really comes down to feeling them out and seeing if you can work with them.