Applications of EMDR and EEG in treatment of clients suffering from PTSD

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) technique has been successfully implemented with a number of clients that were referred to the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma... [ view full abstract ]

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) technique has been successfully implemented with a number of clients that were referred to the NSW Service for the Treatment and Rehabilitation of Torture and Trauma Survivors (STARTTS) Sydney.
This presentation demonstrates the utilisation of the EMDR technique in a female 22 year old Tibetan client, who suffered a severe form of PTSD that was inflicted by multiple events of grievous and violent torture. As a part of the treatment EMDR technique was applied with the aim to assist processing of PTSD symptoms. In particular, emphasis was placed on the elimination and analysis of intrusive memories, continuous anxiety, vivid night flashbacks and disturbing nightmares with the aim to monitor changes in neurophysiology by implementing Electroencephalography (EEG) biofeedback.
Over the course of the treatment, provided on a weekly/bi weekly basis, EEG was used to precisely monitor neuronal activation during the EMDR sessions. It was noted that processing of the trauma occurred when the beta brain waves appeared in the frontal and orbito frontal lobes. The manifestation of the beta brain waves signalled the activation of the executive brain functions including intellectual responses associated with the logical thinking, capacity to memorise, analyse and make decisions that require a good focus and concentration. The presence of the beta brain waves indicated that client was actively processing trauma, which was ""locked"" or “frozen” in the nervous system. This further highlights clients' capacity to engage with traumatic memories and their readiness for trauma processing.
In the future, detailed studies with the wider group of clients with similar symptomatology may need to be conducted with the aim to identify the timing of trauma-processing initiation. This would also assist in providing more focused and timely treatments to PTSD sufferers.