Children in East Lancashire who have been affected by highly traumatic experiences are being offered the option of receiving an innovative therapy.Clinical psychologists at the Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust have attended an EMDR training course which allows them to offer EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy. The first trials of this therapy in the East Lancashire NHS Foundation Trust area are being focused on children who suffer from emotional difficulties such as phobias, anxiety, and chronic pain.
When a child is hit by a highly traumatic experience their brains can be overwhelmed by strong emotions and in some cases this can lead to them re-experiencing the events again and again in their heads. EMDR was developed in the 1980’s by an American clinical psychologist and works by attempting to stimulate the blocked information processing system in the brain through various methods. This allows patients to deal with the painful memories that they have.
Dr Andrea Johnson-Renshaw, consultant clinical psychologist in Children’s Psychological Services at Lancashire Care, said: “The brain is often unable to cope with these trapped memories, which results in traumatic memories being relived and having a negative effect on the persons lives and their abilities to function. EMDR therapy helps to restore normal ways of processing and dealing with problems. It means that memories of the event are no longer painful when they come to mind.”
Twelve people in the Trust’s Clinical Psychologists in Children’s Psychological Services throughout Lancashire have received EMDR training UK this year.
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