Re:New EMDR meta-analysis in JCCP

This post reflects the clinical reality that many EMDR experiences have to take into account ego states or other dissociative phenomena that cause some EMDR to loop and not resolve. Dissociation is not a minor phenomena, but one that goes to the heart of EMDR. EMDR is an associative process -- it causes the individual to make and resolve associations in a way different from talk therapy and, I believe, exposure therapy. When EMDR gets stuck or loops, it is often because of dissociation that has gone undiagnosed or that needs to be addressed with ego state work. Once that dissociation is handled, the associative process can proceed -- and I mean EMDR.

I don't know of any studies to date on EMDR that control for dissociation or dissociative disorders as it relates to outcome. So I personally don't expect ANY research --- whether the results argue for or against EMDR --- to be definitive until that confounding variable is controlled for.

Readers should recall that both the International Society for the Study of Traumatic Stress and the American Psychological Association -- Division 12 (Clinical) have reviewed the research on EMDR and found it to be efficacious for PTSD.

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