Emdr In Uk

[the lorax]

Hello,
I'm new here. My reason for joining is that I've just read "Trauma" by Prof Gordon Turnbull, a leading PTSD specialist in the UK. It's a brilliant book, and useful for anyone who has been affected by trauma (available from libraries as well as bookshops - I work in a libray). In it he mentions Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing therapy. He suggests that it is potentially very effective, especially for those with dissociaton as a big issue. Has anyone in the UK tried this treatment? Is it available on the NHS? It has apparently been approved by NICE, but I can't imagine many GPs or psychiatrists knowing much about it.
Your thoughts/experiences would be appreciated.

 

[amethist]

Hi lorax

Welcome to the forum.

Maybe the link below to the Wiki article will help you understand more about EMDR. as for reading the N.I.C.E web site I would forget it if I were you. It tells you so much that is supposed to be available, but trying to find a good professional in the UK and then a therapist who understand enough about PTSD and EMDR, can be difficult to say the least.

There are some good therapists, and there are some so called top psychologist who do not have a clue. My husband had a brilliant therapist and a totally crap psychologist. So you have to keep going back to your GP, until they listen and take notice of you, if you feel your not getting the help and support you so rightly need.

EMDR is available on the NHS, as long as you can find a therapist who is trained to use this as part of your therapy. If you ask them and they are reluctant to say yes out right, then back off, because if they are not trained fully, they could possibly cause more harm than good.

Even then there is no guarantee it will work with you, some it helps, some it makes no difference. As there are a few members from the UK on here, maybe if you can give your general location, nearest major town will do, someone will be able to recommend a therapist near you.

It helped my husband with his nightmares and flashback, he has very few now, to the almost nightly before his therapist tried him with EMDR.

[DLMURL]https://www.ptsdforum.org/c/wiki/eye-movement-desensitization-and-reprocessing/[/DLMURL]

I hope this help you a bit more now.

Amethist

 

[cherryblossom]

I think EMDR is becoming more well known in the UK as an aid to PTSD.

I'm in the UK, and did have EMDR on the NHS, 2-3 years ago. I will add though, that it was awful, and the experience has put me off EMDR forever. But, that was down to the therapist, and not the NHS. We are all different, and different therapists will be better for one individual than another, the same for different types of therapy.

I agree, with you that few GP's will know of EMDR, and the majority will have very little knowledge of PTSD. To get appropriate NHS treatment, you need to get into the mental health care system in your area. Ask your GP for a referral to your local mental health team, either through a referral to a CPN (community psychiatric nurse), or a Psychiatrist. They should then be able to tell you what services are available to you on the NHS.

In the last year, my local mental health team have been brilliant. My CPN/ care co-ordinator has been very helpful. She put me in touch with a mental health support worker, who played a key role in getting me back to work.

But the therapy I have is actually through a sexual abuse charity, and that is also excellent. My therapist is trained in trauma, and specialises in sexual abuse. You don't say what caused your PTSD, but it could be very worthwhile looking into local charities that offer counselling, for your issues.

Also, as amethist has said, if you are prepared to give your general location, someone might be able to give you more area specific information. I'm close to Bristol.

 

[the lorax]

Thank you Amethist and Cherryblossom for your advice. I live in Derbyshire, but the nearest big towns are Manchester and Sheffield. It has been quite a while since I've been to my GP for help about this, and I've never had a PTSD diagnosis. However, the last time I saw the CPN (over a year ago), I did pluck up the courage to tell her in some detail about the childhood abuse which underlies my symptoms. I saw a very good counsellor for about 2 years, and last saw her about 18 months ago. She helped me to understand that the dissociation, nightmares and fear were all to do with the abuse. I kind-of knew that anyway, but I've been trying to tell doctors about it since my first episode of flashbacks etc. which happened 25 years ago. They kept passing it off as anxiety, depression or hypomania, and in the end I gave up trying to get the help I needed.

With greater awareness of PTSD I'm thinking of giving the search for medical help another go. I could go back to my counsellor, but the expense and long-term nature of such help puts me off. I like the idea that EMDR can have rapid results. Maybe I'm just looking for a miracle cure (I should know by now there isn't one), and as the PTSD symptoms are lying low for now, maybe I should let sleeping dogs lie... until the next bout.

 

[KP the nut]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

I'm in Shropshire and I am coming to the end of a course of very successful EMDR sessions on the NHS. There is a British EMDR website which can help find a trauma therapist.

Mine is fantastic, well trained, regularly attends courses and trainings to keep up to date and fresh. There are some not so good ones. Mine says to look for a T who is accredited trained to level 3. Ask questions re their experience. Any T who would go straight into EMDR with a client is wrong. They need to take a full history and then teach you techniques to ground including establishing a 'safe place'.

I will look up the web address for you. If you want to chat please feel free to PM me.

Take care
KP

 

[KP the nut]

Hey, I must be improving I remembered to
1) Look up the website address which T recommended
and
2) Remembered where I was meant to post it :roflmao:

OK the address is Link Removed

Under find a T there is a map so you can click on your area.

Let me know how you get on , PM me if you want.

Take care
KP

 

[amethist]

Are these private therapists KP ?, as I have just looked for the one hubby had, and he is not listed. He is registered with the NHS, and is on another web site.

Just curious that's all.

 

[the lorax]

Thank you so much for this, KP. It's good to hear about your experience of EMDR and it gives me hope that doctors these days might actually have something of value to offer. I'm holding off seeking treatment just for the moment though - I'm not quite ready to run the gauntlet of assessment, referral, diagnosis and so on. I might go down the private route, but would rather have the support of my doctor and CPN.

 

[Lucycat]

Hi
I am in the UK - Scotland - and have been having EMDR on the NHS. My CPN is trained and registered but not listed on the EMDR UK website. However his supervisor, the consultant psychiatrist - is listed.

I have found EMDR very helpful and would recommend it to anyone. However it is certainly not an easy option.

As others have said the client/therapist relationship is very important in this. If you have no trust in the therapist then it simply will not work.

Best Wishes
Lucy x

 

[KP the nut]

Are these private therapists KP ?, as I have just looked for the one hubby had, and he is not listed. He is registered with the NHS, and is on another web site..

Not sure, they may be. Mine isn't there either and he is also NHS

 

[anthony]

If any therapist, psychiatrist or psychologist, didn't know about EMDR, then they shouldn't be in that job. It is one of the four Tier 1 approved psychological treatments for the treatment of PTSD.

 

[Kb3]

Hi Lorax, I just wanted to mention Somatic Experiencing, www.seauk.org.uk. It would be a private option only, but it has given me tremendous relief from my symptoms after EMDR failed to.

It is a very gentle and healing therapy and I highly recommend it. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.