The Relationship Between EMDR and NLP
By Dr. Randi Fredricks, Ph.D.
Long before Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing was called "EMDR," there were a number of eye movement
trauma techniques that came out of research in the 1960s, particularly in relation to neuro linguistic programming (NLP).
John Grinder, one of the founders of NLP, taught these techniques to an administrator who worked with him.
The administrator was Francine Shapiro, a psychologist who then later claimed to have invented EMDR without
reference to Grinder, or any other source for that matter.
According to John Grinder in The Whispering and the Wind Forum:
"Francine Shapiro worked (administration and sales) in the Santa Cruz offices of Grinder, Delozier and Associates in the 80's.
She approached me one day and told me that a friend of hers from New York has been raped and she wanted to help her through
this trauma and ensure that she exited cleanly and without scars. I told Francine to put her in resourceful state (anchored)
and have her systematically move her eyes through the various accessing positions typical of the major representational systems
(with the exception of the kinesthetic access). I suggested that she see, hear (but not feel) the events in question - obviously
the kinesthetics were to remain resourceful (the anchored state) while she processed the event. She later reported that the work
had been successful. You may imagine my surprise when I later learned that she had apparently turned these suggestions into a
pattern presented in an extended training, with no reference to source, with a copyright and a rather rigorous set of documents
essentially restricting anyone trained in this from offering it to the rest of the world."
Robert Dilts was one of Grinder's original students at the University of Santa Cruz in the early 1970s.. Dilts went on to become one of the most
prominent figures in NLP. In one of his classes, Grinder gave Dilts an assignment to work with eye movement. Dilts then began doing
his own impromptu research. Dilts offered the hypothesis that eye movements were related to the sensory mode of cognitive processing occurring,
making the following generalizations:
Movements upward of the horizontal plane are related to visual processing.
Movements along the horizontal plane are associated with auditory processing, and
Movements downward from the horizontal plane are associated with kinesthetic, and other nonverbal phenomena.
A later observation was that spatial orientation along the left-right horizon is often associated with past-future
distinctions, respectively (in visual and auditory modes).
Shapiro's story about the origins of EMDR refer to her personal experience. She claimed to have discovered EMDT as
she was walking one day. She said that she found herself processing
negative psychological material along with REM behavior. As a psychologist, she wondered if this would be replicable
with clients. In other words, she wondered if she could duplicate the REM behavior while attending to a distressing
cognitive event and unpleasant internal visual image, and lessen in negative impact? The only problem with this
scenario is that Grinder had basically already taught Shapiro the technique.
To Shapiro's credit, she did further develop the method and brought it to the attention of other clinicians.
Shapiro began refining the methodology around 1987 and it has since evolved into a multifaceted approach used to
treat a variety of problems.
Shapiro began using EMDR in research with war veterans suffering from post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
In one of her first studies, some of these men had been in traditional psychotherapy for 20 years and yet continued
to have the symptoms typical of PTSD, such as nightmares and flashbacks. Many were completely incapacitated.
After receiving EMDR, many of the men reported that their PTSD symptoms disappeared within a few sessions.
The results were replicated in studies with rape victims and other types of trauma.
According to Shapiro's original studies, EMDR desensitized painful memories and changing peoples beliefs about how well
they functioned. Because of her research, EMDR was initially used to resolve the after-effects of psychological trauma,
such as combat, assaults, natural disasters, traumatic grief, and other acutely painful events.
Issues commonly addressed with EMDR psychotherapists include the following:
Post traumatic stress disorder
Acute stress disorder
Generalized anxiety disorder
Depression and depressed mood (subclinical depression)
Sleep disorders, nightmares
Phobias
Substance use, addictions and impulse control disorders
Anger management problems
Chronic pain management
Bi-polar disorders
Panic attacks / panic disorder
Dissociative disorders
Personality disorders
While some therapists tout EMDR as a quick fix method, it is most useful when done over a period of sessions and incorporated
with other methods. When EMDR is used in conjunction with hypnosis, NLP, and cognitive/behavioral techniques, it can be especially effective.
References (To view, roll mouse over the "References" heading; to hide, click on the heading)
Beaulieu, D. (2003). Eye movement integration therapy: The comprehensive clinical guide. New York: Crown House Publishing.
Dilts, R. (1990). Changing belief systems with NLP. Capitola, CA: Meta Publications.
Dilts, R. (2003). From coach to awakener. Capitola, CA: Meta Publications.
Dilts, R., & Epstein, T. (1991). Tools for dreamers: Strategies for creativity. Capitola, CA: Meta Publications.
Fredricks, R. (2008). Healing & wholeness: Complementary and alternative therapies for mental health. Bloomington,IN: Authorhouse.
Grinder, J., & Bandler, R. (1981). Trance-formations: Neuro-linguistic programming and the structure of hypnosis. Boulder, CO: Real People Press.
Grinder, J., & St, Clair, C, B. (2001). Whispering in the wind. London: CB and JG Publishing.
NLP Comprehensive, Andreas, S., & Faulkner, C. (Eds.). (1996). NLP: The new technology of achievement. New York: NLP Comprehensive.
Shapiro, F. (1995). Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing: basic principles, protocols, and procedures. New York: Guilford Press.
San Jose Therapy Counseling Psychotherapy psychotherapist therapist
