Saddened by the recent threats and personal attacks

Let me make it clear, first and foremost, that I disagree with Dr. Shapiro's reading of the research. Many EMDR researchers, based on the evidence presented by me here and by others in highly respected journals (individuals who are much more knowledgeable than I am in this area), have come to different conclusions. To try to paint a picture that the evidence only confirms EMDR is patently false. However, review the past 2 years of postings and you will not find the contradictory evidence. You have to ask yourself why?

It shocks me that Dr. Shapiro threw such a tantrum in the previous postings when I disagreed with her evaluation of EMDR research. She resorted to personal attacks on me and then in the same breath accuse me of personally attacking her. This kind of rhetoric is sad to be engaging in with those who she doesn't agree with. Unfortunately, this has been some of the long-standing tactics she has used and which are documented by others.

Dr. Shapiro's threats to silence both myself and (by extension) others who disagree with her is most troubling in an eclectic discussion on EMDR such as this. She feels that I should fall in line with her beliefs because she says so. When I fail to be persuaded by what I feel is a selective presentation of the information on her part she becomes angry and threatens me with censorship. This is most unprofessional in my opinion.

She also seeks to brand both myself and her numerous detractors as misinformed, malevolent, and incompetent. This is a laughable premise and her sweeping statements of Lohr et al. are in my opinion an attempt to skirt their issues. She cites an article by herself to dispute their analysis and that of Lipke, an ardent EMDR supporter. I believe that there are gaping holes in Dr. Shapiro's arguments which are expertly detailed in the references I cite. Let me also state that some of the researchers she seeks to defame are highly distinguished in this field and have a host of publications and contributions in varied areas of the field. By contrast, Dr. Shapiro's publications are limited to EMDR. I believe that Rosen, who she brushes off as being misinformed, was even a candidate for APA president last year. Am I appealing to authority here? No. I am simply trying to counter Dr. Shapiro's attempts to discredit those who oppose her by citing references of herself where she disagrees with them. Am I saying the Dr. Shapiro is incompetent? No. However, the point I am trying to make is that when someone who develops a theory, seeks to confirm it, and then is criticized by a host of researchers because the evidence may not support the claims, I am a bit skeptical of the arguments this person makes ever after. This is why we should look to other sources for perhaps a more balanced review of the situation.

Dr. Shapiro's thinly veiled attempt to get those on this discussion to believe that I wish to malign them is sad. I see this as an obvious effort to slander my character. Let me state emphatically and unequivocally that just because I disagree with the opinions of some of the discussants here I do not disrespect them. I have the utmost respect for clinicians, myself being one. I simply wanted to see what the information was and why Dr. Shapiro chooses to disregard that evidence which doesn't support her position. By presenting the best sides of both arguments, clinicians can make informed choices that ultimately will help their clients. That's what we are here for, isn't it? Dr. Shapiro confuses professional debate of the issues with an ad homenim attack. Her credibility is one component of that debate. I do not understand why she chooses to take heated professional debate so personally. This is another reason that I question her evaluation, being that she is so tied to her beliefs.

I can go on citing references to contradict Dr. Shapiro's evaluation and she will invariably cite more. I believe that the totality of the evidence comes out against EDMR as a novel treatment and that bilateral stimulation is not necessary to produce results in controlled investigations. If bilateral stimulation is ineffective then her accelerated information processing theory of EMDR is incorrect. EMDR falls apart. Studies comparing EMDR with other treatments come to the conclusion that EMDR works mostly by imagery exposure because this is the component common to both. If individuals continue to add unnecessary components to treatments that are originally non-proprietary and already work, we are embarking upon a dark journey. This distracts us from finding out truly novel techniques and investigating a better understandings of the ones that already work.

What is the point of a discussion such as the one between myself and Dr. Shapiro? It is to discuss the issues and present as best as we can information on both sides of the argument. I feel that Dr. Shapiro has once again chosen to selectively cite research that helps her while ignoring and trying to discredit those that are unfavorable. I provided some of the authors' own words in the discussion so that readers would not have to rely on our word. I find it astonishing that Dr. Shapiro contradicts the authors own verbatim comments that I present. Instead, she sifts through the articles in search of ways to reframe the evidence by pointing to non-significant findings, to comments taken out of context, or to the lack of "fidelity" in the research. Unfortunately, I cannot post the articles in their entirety for people on this list to read for themselves. I urge all those who are following the debate to obtain copies of the references cited by myself and Dr. Shapiro and make your own decisions.

Finally, Dr. Shapiro sought to set up a false debate by saying that I had to prove certain points or else my argument was not credible. This is a ridiculous and false contention; just another way to obfuscate the issues. The ball was always in Dr. Shapiro's court. It is her job to prove that EMDR is different and better than other treatments. I feel she and others have failed to do this after 10 years of research. Nevertheless, I'll point out the holes in her argument in another posting about this specific issue.

I have tried to present the best case against EMDR because I was up against ardent and devoted believers. Dr. Shapiro needs no help by me in defending it. At first I was excited about EMDR. Today I am not. It is because I have investigated the claims as best I could and sought opposing viewpoints.

The clinicians on this page do not have to believe me. They can find the references I provide and see for themselves. I am not the originator of the issues I raised in this discussion. This is well tread ground. The question is: How many knew this contradictory evidence before I presented it?

Thanks as always,

Brian

P.S. If you disagree with Dr. Shapiro's threat to silence me, please let your opinion be known.

Replies:

Dear Brian, Re: Saddened by the recent threats and personal attacks , by , 2/16/00 Re: Saddened by the recent threats and personal attacks, by Shapiro, 2/16/00 Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums, by Brian G., 2/17/00 Re: Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums, by Shapiro, 2/17/00 Re: Shapiro Changes from Threats to Ultimatums, by Brian G., 2/17/00 Let's get back to the data, by SR, 2/17/00

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