EMDR is a treatment whose goal is to decrease the emotional stresses and other negative impacts that result from trauma. This could be a one time trauma, such as a car accident or witnessing/experiencing a life threatening event or crime, or it may be ongoing trauma from the past, such as childhood or spousal abuse. The process requires a few sessions, and helps alleviate the difficulties of trauma more quickly than traditional talk therapy. The event(s) come to be recalled more neutrally, as a part of one’s personal history, and do not continue to cause emotional distress. Insights are often acquired that reveal how the context of the trauma influenced responses, and the client becomes aware of how the trauma has been a source of experiential learning and a catalyst for the development of personal strength. For more detailed information on this process, please see the links section.