Re: Is it the Past or Present? First Time on EMDR. Marital Issues.

EMDR can help address both recent and old issues, whether traumatic in origin or simply experiences that had painful lessons result. Old painful experiences, such as those from difficult childhoods, are like old shoes we keep stored in a closet, and don't want to deal with. Then a new painful issue comes along, like a marriage problem, and it acts like a tremor that shakes the closet, the doors fall open, and the old shoes fall on our heads. EMDR can help clean it all up.

The research on EMDR has largely been on traumas, but clinical experience tells us that it is helpful for relationship matters as well, not only by dealing with the things that remind people of old issues, but also by resolving resentments and other pain, and clarifying choices and decisions.

From what you have said, it sounds like EMDR might help you. You would need to talk carefully with your therapist to be sure his/her experience prepares him/her for cases like yours.

You may wish to review Shapiro & Forrest's book "EMDR", which was written for the public (not the Shapiro book on EMDR, without Forrest, as that one was written for professionals). On the internet, you may wish to explore http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/emdrjourneys or http://www.onelist.com/subscribe/EMDR.

Good luck to you.

Replies:

Dear Dr. Paulsen:, by Alexandria, 3/24/00 Re: Dear Dr. Paulsen:, by Sandra Paulsen, Ph.D., 3/24/00 Re: Dear Dr. Paulsen:, by , 4/5/00 Re: Dear Dr. Paulsen:, by Linda Richards, 3/29/00 Thanks for your inputs, Dr. Paulsen & Linda., by Alexandria, 3/30/00

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