EMDR Works. Here’s How We Know
EMDR References
List of international guidelines and organizations recognizing the effectiveness of EMDR.
American Psychiatric Association (2004). Practice
Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Acute Stress Disorder and
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric
Association Practice Guidelines.
EMDR is recommended as an effective treatment for trauma.
Bleich, A., Kotler, M., Kutz, I., & Shalev, A. (2002). A position
paper of the (Israeli) National Council for Mental Health: Guidelines
for the assessment and professional intervention with terror victims in
the hospital and in the community. Jerusalem, Israel.
EMDR is one of three methods recommended for treatment of terror victims.
California Evidence-Based Clearinghouse for Child Welfare (2010). Trauma Treatment for Children: http://www.cebc4cw.org.
EMDR and Trauma-focused CBT are considered “Well-Supported by Research Evidence.”
Chambless, D.L. et al. (1998). Update of empirically validated therapies, II. The Clinical Psychologist, 51, 3-16.
According to a taskforce of the Clinical Division of the American
Psychological Association, the only methods empirically supported
(“probably efficacious”) for the treatment of any post-traumatic stress
disorder population were EMDR, exposure therapy, and stress inoculation
therapy. Note that this evaluation does not cover the last decade of
research.
CREST (2003). The management of post traumatic stress disorder in
adults. A publication of the Clinical Resource Efficiency Support Team
of the Northern Ireland Department of Health, Social Services and Public
Safety, Belfast.
EMDR and CBT were stated to be the treatments of choice.
Department of Veterans Affairs & Department of Defense
(2010). VA/DoD Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of
Post-Traumatic Stress. Washington, DC: Veterans Health Administration,
Department of Veterans Affairs and Health Affairs, Department of
Defense.
EMDR was placed in the category of the most effective PTSD
psychotherapies. This “A” category is described as “A strong
recommendation that clinicians provide the intervention to eligible
patients. Good evidence was found that the intervention improves
important health outcomes and concludes that benefits substantially
outweigh harm.”
Dutch National Steering Committee Guidelines Mental Health Care
(2003). Multidisciplinary Guideline Anxiety Disorders. Quality Institute
Heath Care CBO/Trimbos Intitute. Utrecht, Netherlands.
EMDR and CBT both designated as treatments of choice for PTSD.
Foa, E.B., Keane, T.M., Friedman, M.J., & Cohen, J.A.
(2009). Effective treatments for PTSD: Practice Guidelines of the
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies New York: Guilford
Press.
EMDR was listed as an effective and empirically supported treatment for
PTSD, and was given an AHCPR “A” rating for adult PTSD. This guideline
specifically rejected the findings of the previous Institute of Medicine
report, which stated that more research was needed to judge EMDR
effective for adult PTSD. With regard to the application of EMDR to
children, an AHCPR rating of Level B was assigned. Since the time of
this publication, three additional randomized studies on EMDR have been
completed (see below).
INSERM (2004). Psychotherapy: An evaluation of three approaches. French
National Institute of Health and Medical Research, Paris, France.
EMDR and CBT were stated to be the treatments of choice for trauma victims.
National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (2005). Post traumatic
stress disorder (PTSD): The management of adults and children in primary
and secondary care. London: National Institute for Clinical Excellence.
Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR were stated to be empirically supported treatments for choice for adult PTSD.
SAMHSA’s National Registry of Evidence-based Programs and Practices (2011): http://nrepp.samhsa.gov/ViewIntervention.aspx?id=199
The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
is an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
This national registry (NREPP) cites EMDR as evidence based practice for
treatment of PTSD, anxiety, and depression symptoms. Their review of
the evidence also indicated that EMDR leads to an improvement in mental
health functioning.
Therapy Advisor (2004-11): http://www.therapyadvisor.com
An NIMH sponsored website listing empirically supported methods for a
variety of disorders. EMDR is one of three treatments listed for PTSD.
United Kingdom Department of Health (2001). Treatment choice in
psychological therapies and counselling evidence based clinical practice
guideline. London, England.
Best evidence of efficacy was reported for EMDR, exposure, and stress inoculation.
World Health Organization (2013). Guidelines for the management of
conditions that are specifically related to stress. Geneva, WHO.
Trauma-focused CBT and EMDR are the only psychotherapies recommended for
children, adolescents and adults with PTSD. “Like CBT with a trauma
focus, EMDR therapy aims to reduce subjective distress and strengthen
adaptive cognitions related to the traumatic event. Unlike CBT with a
trauma focus, EMDR does not involve (a) detailed descriptions of the
event, (b) direct challenging of beliefs, (c) extended exposure, or (d)
homework.” (p.1).
Learn more about our EMDR Therapy.
