Re: EMDR & OCD

To my knowledge, there is no study on EMDR with OCD, but there are clinical case reports and a special protocol for using EMDR for OCD. The protocol is a blend of the EMDR procedure and the traditional cognitive-behavioral exposure plus response prevention method, the latter of which has a number of publications to support its efficacy. Not a lot of people know this method that combines EMDR and E+RP, so it would be helpful to interview in a stringent way to make sure the EMDR therapist knows a lot about OCD and has experience with exposure and response prevention. E+RP is a fussy kind of protocol that requires a lot of therapist knowledge and experience. Its efficacy is better with overt compulsions than with covert ones. As you may know, the treatment involves exposure to the horrific thoughts that may be present, while simultaneously being prevented from engaging in the rituals/compulsions. Just exactly what the OCD sufferer would least of all prefer to do. The E+RP treatment raises anxiety initially, but it eventually extinguishes with repetition.

Clinically, what we see as EMDR's contributions to OCD is that the EMDR assists with the extinction of anxiety that occurs during exposure, and with the strengthening/ installation of coping strategies. For individuals with trauma histories as well as OCD, the standard EMDR protocol would be used to detoxify any traumatic baggage that continues to influence levels of anxiety in current life. Again, this is based on clinical case reports rather than controlled studies.

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