Processing the Hidden Disability of Disabilities with EMDR

Abstract

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), a standardized, eight-phased psychotherapeutic modality developed by Francine Shapiro, is well researched for its utility in assisting individuals in processing traumatic events. The author’s personal and professional experiences as an individual with a life-long, physical disability, a mid-level psychiatric practitioner, and an EMDR-certified clinician have allowed for lived and witnessed understanding of adverse events in the form of hidden disability secondary to diagnosed mental and physical disabilities. EMDR has been utilized as a successful treatment modality for hidden disability by the author, as outlined in a case overview.