Lets talk not fight

I have found this discussion quite interesting. I think that the purpose of the list is to provide a forum for the discussion of EMDR. Behavior Online has many discussion groups, for both professionals and layman on a wide variety of topics. EMDR is just one of the modalities and topics discussed. There is no suggestion by Behavior Online that EMDR is the only treatment available or that it is the best treatment modality. Even the most ardent supporters of EMDR have not said that EMDR is the only treament nor that it is necessarily the best treatment in the treatment universe for every problem. Dr. Shapiro is the first to acknowldege that more research is needed and that questions remain to be answered.

The evidence is pretty clear that (1) there a quite a number of research studies that support the use of EMDR,
(2) that many practicioners and clients report very positive outcomes from the use of EMDR, and (3) that independent (that is not EMDR supporters or EMDR critics) groups of experts who have set out to identify treatment modalities with solid empirical support have concluded that EMDR meets their standards for the presence of emperical research demonstrating treatment effectiveness.

Is the research supporting EMDR perfect? No, of course not.

Do some well trained therapists and researchers believe that the data does not support EMDR, yes of course.

Do other equally well trained therapists and researchers find the data compelling and believe that the data does support EMDR? Yes, of course

Is there room for debate? Yes of course.

Have groups representing two of the major professional organizations (Am Psychological Association and International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies)reviewed the data and found the data supports the validity of EMDR? Yes, they have.

Is the Division 12 endorsement process perfect? No, of course not.

Is the review process that ISTSS used to develop its treatment guidelines perfect? No, of course not.

BUT......the data clearly shows that (1) there are a number of well designed studies that support EMDR (not all do, but many do), (2)there are many (not all, just many) trained and licensed psycholigists, psychiatrists, social workers, etc. who report EMDR to be very helpful and effective, (3) there are many (not all, just many)clients who have been treated with EMDR with very positive results, and (4)that professional groups reviewing the data with the goal of developing treatment guidelines or lists of empirically validated treatments have ALL included EMDR as a validated technique.

Those folks who are working so hard to be critical of EMDR are being less than honest if they find any of the above paragraph (not all above, just the paragraph immediately above)objectionable.

Is it possible that 20 years down the road we will find EMDR and CBT and Psychoanalysis and Gestalt and System Theory and ..... you get the idea, flawed. Sure.

Are there practicioners who will use EMDR (or CBT or any other treament modality) poorly and thus get bad results? Sure.

Are there clients who will not find EMDR (or CBT or any other treament modality) helpful. Sure.

Is the paragraph above still true? Yes it is.

At this point I think we need to get back to the business of talking and away from fighting.

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