This month, Paul Krauss MA LPC wrote an article for Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy Syndrome Association (RSDSA), an international 501 (c) 3 not-for-profit organization based in Milford, Connecticut. This company supports individuals suffering from chronic pain. As a mental health clinician, Paul uses his expertise to share clinical research related to EMDR therapy and how it can benefit those suffering from chronic pain. A summary of his article is below:
According to the CDC, over 20% of Americans suffer from chronic pain. Not only does this impact their physical health, but it impacts their mental health as well. A decreased quality of life, dependence on medications, and lowered ability to participate in everyday activities can impact a person’s wellbeing. However, psychotherapy has been shown to increase a person’s welfare, particularly in cases of chronic pain.
While psychotherapy can be a beneficial addition to the treatment of chronic pain, EMDR therapy can have even greater effects. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a type of therapy that treats trauma by desensitizing a person to emotional distress. Therapists who use this type of therapy have specialized training on top of their license and post-graduate work.
EMDR works well for managing chronic pain in a number of ways. First, it can help desensitize clients to the pain itself. Second, the process of EMDR involves obtaining a thorough history of the client in which they may discover the initial source of their pain. Third, altering the emotional aspects of the pain can change the way pain is remembered in the nervous system–decreased hypervigilance associated with EMDR treatment can also relieve symptoms of chronic pain.
You can read the entire article here.
Paul Krauss MA LPC is the Clinical Director of Health for Life Counseling Grand Rapids, home of The Trauma-Informed Counseling Center of Grand Rapids. Paul is also a Private Practice Psychotherapist, EMDRIA Consultant in Training (CIT), host of the Intentional Clinician podcast, Behavioral Health Consultant, Clinical Trainer, and Counseling Supervisor. Paul is now offering consulting for a few individuals and organizations. Paul is the creator of the National Violence Prevention Hotline (in progress) as well as the Intentional Clinician Training Program for Counselors. Questions? Call the office at 616-200-4433.
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