Re:General Anxiety Disorder and EMDR

The following is stated in general terms rather than being tailored to your specific case.

There are no controlled studies on EMDR for GAD, however there are some clinical case reports. Drawing on my own clinical experience, I have seen some people who benefit directly from EMDR with an overall reduction in anxiety -- the challenge is figuring out what in present life to target, because you need to pick something in order to do EMDR, such as anxiety in certain situations or under certain conditions. With GAD, so many things can be anxiety producing.

For other people, the anxiety reduces when we combine EMDR with resolving early childhood issues. Sometimes people with GAD didn't get the early nurturing and secure attachment they needed, so the EMDR can be combined with other procedures to strengthen those internal resources, and resolve any residual internalized conflicts from the family of origin.

For other people, EMDR seems to work like an overall relaxation procedure, without identifying early material to resolve.

If you work with an experienced EMDR therapist, that therapist can help figure out the best approach for you. That therapist can also help you identify whether a trial of EMDR should be attempted before adding medication. Sometimes when people are on meds while undergoing EMDR, we need to go back later and redo the EMDR once they come off meds. This is because once off the meds, sometimes more material emerges that was inaccessible while they were on the meds. Good luck!

Sandra Paulsen, PhD
Walnut Creek California

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