So many in our community have experienced varying types and degrees of trauma. That trauma can be intense, life-altering, and addressing its effects can be a long process. This fall, Mazzoni Center is rolling out a revolutionary approach to addressing trauma, with the hope of significantly reducing the amount of time before a client is able to feel the heaviness of their trauma begin to lift.

Since the start of the year, Mazzoni Center’s Behavioral Health Department has been hard at work training in what is known as EMDR. EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is an evidence-based intervention proven effective at relieving the intense, stressful symptoms often experienced as a result of trauma. Each of us processes trauma in unique ways. EMDR focuses on mind/body connection using eye movement, or bilateral stimulation, to change the way our brain stores and processes information, thoughts, and responses to distressing events. Simply put, EMDR can help our brain heal from trauma in much the same way as our body heals itself from some kind of physical trauma. Unlike other trauma-focused therapies, many participants begin to feel relief after a few sessions of EMDR.

“Our commitment to helping heal individuals and communities has led us to offering EMDR therapy at Mazzoni Center,” states Judy Morrissey, Director of Behavioral Health Services at Mazzoni Center. “Traditionally, EMDR has not been widely accessible in community mental health programs. I am proud of our initiative to make EMDR therapy accessible and affordable to our clients and patients and excited to see our vision for this program come to light.”

Plans are currently underway to offer EMDR as a service to clients and patients of Mazzoni Center by Fall 2023. We hope to roll out further details about Mazzoni’s EMDR program and how to get started in the upcoming months. Please stay tuned for more information.