EMDR: A Documentary Film

This documentary is mind blowing. I highly recommend it. Like most people, I'm guessing, I didn't really know anything about EMDR. I was pretty sceptical, to say the least, of the claims made about it curing post-traumatic stress disorder (a bit of blinking will cure your PTSD????) but by the end of the film I was totally convinced. It's definitely more than just 'blinking'! EMDR has been tested over and over by clinicians for the past thirty years and, since the 1990s, has been increasingly used in private practice, with the same results every time: patients are effectively and quickly cured of PTSD. It's like a miracle. The film explains the development of EMDR and tells the stories of patients with chronic, long-term PTSD, many of whom had suffered for years and believed that they were beyond help,and shows how EMDR literally transformed their lives. It's amazing: not just the transformational power of EMDR but also what a relatively quick and simple treatment it is. The power of the human brain is something we can't even begin to comprehend.

WHY DON'T MORE PEOPLE KNOW ABOUT THIS?!? EMDR needs to become the front line treatment for anyone with PTSD. (I was stunned to see that the US government has stopped funding EMDR for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan, who are suffering from PTSD, despite the fact that the military's own doctors *want* to use EMDR for this.) I've already recommended the film to a friend. Watch it and tell people about it because this could transform the lives of so many people.

I had no clue what EMDR was before watching this documentary, and was pretty skeptical when first started watching. One thing led to the next, and I kept watching thinking maybe this could be a real thing?? I still have my skepticism, but after watching this, I could be convinced to seeing how this works first hand, in person. I would especially recommend this to someone suffering from ptsd. Nothing to lose! I recently read an article about the huge numbers of soldiers going abroad to fight for their country, then coming back to nightmares, no friends/family, no money, and depression/ptsd. Seems like this should be considered therapy. Overall, well produced. Good mix of shots, music, animation, and worth a watch.

I hope many others will be as inspired by this movie as I was. I had barely heard of EMDR before someone suggested I see this movie, and since then, I, too, have been inspired to try EMDR. EMDR movie helps to unlock the mysteries of this amazingly effective therapy, and provides stories of change in the lives of real people. So much of the suffering in this world is unnecessary. If more people could learn about EMDR through this movie and try it out with a registered therapist, then I'm sure there would be a lot less pain int he lives of everyday people. I am grateful to those who put so much time into bringing this project to life. It seamlessly oscillates between the technical and emotional, all the while providing a captivating story of this intriguing therapy.

Kudos to Burns and all involved in EMDR: A Documentary. As a neophyte to this area of research, I had to hold an initial, analytically skeptical eye to the subject. The film takes the time to describe the science of the mind to prime an understanding of the therapy. It also deals with the conflicts and controversy over the treatment.

A New Hope!? Yes, by hearing the voice of those whose lives have changed and who have been able to live without the full weight of past trauma is inspiring. I don't claim to understand the ideological vicissitudes of psychotherapy and the various models it employs but can only wish that what EMDR provides to its patients may disrupt the current paradigm.

With soldiers now returning from complicated war scenarios; with economic blight sickening this country at record numbers, it is increasingly important to move mental health research and its therapeutic component to the fore. We cannot forget the suffering. We cannot forget those who have served. Watch EMDR for a hopeful path from the darkness.

This documentary does a good job of explaining what EMDR is all about. EMDR has been viewed with a lot of skepticism over the years. The film doesn't just present information about the therapy along with case examples, it also addresses this skepticism of the critics. The film even offers some explanation about the skepticism and as one clinician in the film points out, there is a lot of really good research that support the effectiveness of this powerful therapy in treating PTSD. The film also calls in to question the lack of support by the Department of Veterans Affairs in using EMDR. It certainly makes me wonder about the Dept. of Veteran's Affairs leadership. The only drawback that I found with the film was that I found the background music became slightly irritating over the course of the film. This was the only reason I did not give the film a rating of ten.