Utilisation of Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing in the treatment of grief and mourning

Abstract

Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) can be utilised within a comprehensive framework for the treatment of grief and mourning. EMDR can process the obstacles that can complicate the grief and mourning processes. This seems to facilitate the emergence of positive memories of the deceased, which aids the formation of an adaptive inner representation. The utilisation of EMDR within six processes necessary for adaptive assimilation of the loss is described with case examples.

Keywords:

• EMDR
• mourning
• complicated grief
• traumatic grief
• post-traumatic stress disorder