Customized needs

• Chronic Pain and EMDR by jlong, 11/24/98
  
  

Thank you for sharing your experience. I'm glad you have a trained and trusted therapist to work with.

The application of EMDR to chronic pain depends upon the genesis. At times we find that the pain is actually caused by the stored somatic memory of an event. The physical symptoms can be relieved simply by processing the pertinent memory. In cases of organic genesis EMDR is used to relieve the psychological response to the sensations which can often exacerbate the distress. When used in this case there are reports of decreased pain and less need for medication as well.

A manual of EMDR application for chonic pain is available to your Level II clinician. It has been written recently by Mark Grant and is available through the EMDR Institute (Pacific Grove, CA). In addition, a presentation on the application of EMDR will be made this year at the annual convention devoted to the topic of chronic pain by a clinician working at the UCLA pain clinic. I will try to post the ordering information for any audiotapes when I receive it. There is also a chapter on physical complaints in my paperback book "EMDR" published by BasicBooks. It is easily available at Barnes & Noble or through Amazon.com.

In addition to whatever information I have been able to provide, please do not hesitate to discuss any confusion you have with your therapist.

• emdr/ericksonian hypnosis and chronic pain by carolyn cline m.d.,ph.d., 12/29/98