HEALTH

P

ost-traumatic stress disorder 
(PTSD) is a term that was intro-
duced when some Vietnam War 
veterans returned home with severe emo-
tional reactions to their combat experi-
ences. Nightmares and panic attacks were 
sometimes triggered by an 
everyday noise or experience 
that brought their traumatic 
memories back to the surface.
Since then, the term has 
been expanded to include 
traumas unrelated to wartime 
service — such as childhood 
abuse and exposure to violence. A variety 
of treatments may help patients overcome 
reactions to traumatic events.
One of these treatments is Eye 
Movement Desensitization Reprocessing 
(EMDR), which helps patients reprocess 
traumatic memories so they are no longer 
dominant and debilitating. Jewish Family 
Service (JFS) of Metro Detroit has been 
offering this therapy successfully since 
2020.
Zachary Woodby, a clinical social work-
er and supervisor of behavioral health at 
JFS, says that the agency’s EMDR patients 
are mainly adults experiencing PTSD, 
depression, grief and loss, as well as ath-
letes with performance anxiety. 
“Through bilateral stimulation (visual, 
auditory or tactile stimulation in a rhyth-
mic left to right pattern), EMDR mimics 
REM sleep and relieves the symptoms of 
trauma by changing the way traumatic 
memories are stored,” Woodby explains.
The clinician may use two fingers, hand 
buzzers or light bars to direct the patient’s 
eyes to provide bilateral stimulation while 

the patient processes past 
traumatic experiences. 
“This therapy pulls out 
old memories and helps 
the patient reprocess them 
so that they become like 
other memories,
” Woodby 
says. As a result, the patient 
becomes “grounded in the 
here and now.
” 
A patient at Jewish 
Family Service describes 
how the EMDR therapy 
improved the ability to cope 
with an abusive childhood: 
“Doing EMDR helped me 
learn that the abusive child-
hood I had was not my 
fault. I see myself and the world in a differ-
ent light. I’m now able to trust my ability 
to make choices, stand up for myself and 
feel safe in relationships. EMDR also gave 
me more confidence, which has helped at 
work.
”

POSITIVE RESULTS
According to Woodby, EMDR is more 
successful than talk therapy alone. The 
effect of the treatment, which may entail 
10 sessions, is lasting unless the patient 
experiences a new traumatic incident. The 
main potential side effect is a return of 
suppressed memories or some feelings of 
anxiety, but clinicians provide patients with 
mindfulness resources to help reduce such 
reactions. 
Double-blind control tests (the gold 
standard of clinical tests in which the 
health care provider and patient don’t 
know which treatment is being admin-

istered) have shown positive results, says 
Woodby. EMDR is a copyrighted treatment 
modality that requires 20 hours of basic 
instruction as well supervised practice and 
consultation providing feedback to practi-
tioners. It was developed during the 1980s.
As an evidence-based practice, EMDR is 
covered by Medicaid, Medicare and some 
private insurance. While many private 
practitioners don’t accept Medicaid or 
Medicare, JFS does accept these insurance 
providers. Several JFS social workers have 
received the training and provide EMDR 
therapy at the agency.
EMDR is endorsed for PTSD treatment 
by the Department of Veterans Affairs, 
the American Psychiatric Association, the 
National Association on Mental Illness and 
the World Health Organization. 
Call the JFS Resource Center at (248) 
592-2313 or email resourcecenter@jfsde-
troit.org for more information. 

Jewish Family Service offers 
EMDR treatment to help patients 
overcome past trauma.

Overcoming 
PTSD

Zachary 
Woodby

SHARI S. COHEN CONTRIBUTING WRITER

36 | SEPTEMBER 28 • 2023 
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