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Three EMDR Case Studies

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DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Tricia is 29years old and when she came for her appointment was still suffering PTSD effects ten years after being sexually assaulted. These included flashbacks, hyper-vigilant reactions (startling at even small noises), fear of being alone in her own home and of leaving it, and inability to use public transport.

When she was nineteen, she had experienced serious sexual assault from a partner. She had had to be hospitalised and almost died from loss of blood. Tricia was fortunate in that she had a large support system, including a family who visited and cared for her. Although she had received psychiatric help, various mainstream therapies and drugs, when we met, her symptoms of PTSD were getting worse. A new very intrusive symptom had appeared – she ‘saw blood’ in every red-coloured object, and she had taken several overdoses to end her life. Nothing seemed to help and life had become intolerable.

EMDR had not been tried with Tricia, but after two sessions with this treatment, things had changed dramatically. She looked a different woman – more responsive, smiling and well dressed. She reported that she felt like a new person. She is now taking two walks a day around her neighbourhood, is able to go into town using public transport, and is no longer startled at noises. 'Red' is now just a colour rather than blood.

CHILDHOOD NEGLECT

Carol, in her mid-forties, is a chartered accountant. Four years ago she had had to stop practising her profession because of excessive mood swings over which she had no control. She is divorced and has had two other unsatisfactory relationships. Carol remembers that as far back as she can remember her mother suffered from mental illness and was frequently hospitalised. Carol was placed in children’s homes as her father was unreliable and unable to look after her properly.

Carol is on medication, under the care of her GP and a psychiatrist, both of whom she finds very supportive. It was the psychiatrist’s view that she might benefit from EMDR. When I first met Carol, she told me how she had been making great efforts to appear able to cope with life in front of her adult children and her grandchildren. Nevertheless, she had found herself spending as much time as possible on her own. She had gradually gained too much weight and found life difficult to endure. She had always felt worthless, unlovable, insecure, ugly, isolated and rejected. Her concentration was poor so that reading a book through to the end was beyond her.

After three sessions of therapy which included EMDR, she reported that she is no longer waking up thinking about the past and her child hood. She has joined a reading group and is now able to enjoy reading books. She is actively thinking about going to Italy on her own, something she would never have been able to do before. She is trying to improve her eating habits and is beginning to think about how to restart her career.

We anticipate therapy will continue for some sessions as she would now like to work on other issues, such as her very upsetting divorce and how she feels about herself.

CAR ACCIDENT

Alan is in his mid forties. He was nearly killed when a lorry came too fast around a bend on a narrow road and forced his car into a hedge. The lorry’s bumper smashed into the windscreen directly in front of the driver’s seat. In a split-second reaction, Alan threw himself across into the passenger seat and avoided being crushed.

Initially Alan thought he was fine. However, since then he has had frequent flashbacks of the accident. He has been unable to concentrate and his employer has put him on part time work as they say he is not working as effectively as he used to. He has felt a sense of heaviness and as if he is under a black cloud.

After one session of EMDR, Alan’s demeanour changed. At the follow-up session he was happy and smiling. He said, “At first, after the session, I was very tired. But then, I was amazed as things lightened up. Now, when I think of the accident, it doesn’t get me going like it used to. It’s amazing, (laughing), phenomenal! I’m doing a few more hours work. I feel much chirpier about it and I’m looking forward to working more. I want to do things at home. It’s lifted a weight - pressure that was overbearing for a very long time. I’m conscious of it not being there. My wife has noticed my different demeanour. I’m thinking that I might be able to go back to my old job now."