A U.S. Navy SEAL spent 24 years serving our country. While the military shaped his life allowing him to be successful in his career, it also came at the cost of his mental health. Now, he’s seeking therapy using Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). The treatment is giving him the tools to overcome what he saw and experienced while serving.
In 2016, the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs said it would encourage EMDR therapy for veterans suffering from trauma. According to the VA, the number of specialized PTSD programs offering EMDR has increased from 36 in fiscal year 2016 to 72 in fiscal year 2021.
EMDR is one of the most studied treatments for the treatment of PTSD. In a typical EMDR session, people will pay attention to a back-and-forth movement while they recall a traumatic memory until there is a shift in the way people experience that memory and process it.
If you are a veteran seeking more information about EMDR and how the VA can help you, click here.
