EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a proven therapeutic approach that can be used to help individuals who have experienced trauma.
When someone experiences a traumatic event the normal processing mechanisms in the brain get disrupted and the negative memories, emotions, sensations and beliefs get stuck in the brain and body. These stuck responses to past traumatic experiences mingle with present experiences which colors them in a negative light and the past essentially gets re-lived in the present.
EMDR is an approach that helps the brain and body re-process traumatic experiences and get unstuck from the responses triggered by the original traumatic experience. This approach helps the brain digest information about the experience, hold onto the relevant pieces and discard the reactions/responses that are no longer useful/needed, allowing the individual to release the emotions and negative beliefs connected to the traumatic experience.