Getting Past Your Past: Take Control of Your Life with Self-Help Techniques from EMDR Therapy

This is a wonderful book. There are no ifs ands or buts about that. And EMDR is a powerful tool. I'm a Therapist, and if EMDR was say, a pair of pliers, I'd have worn it out years ago.However, in my opinion, that is missing the main point. This is a book that brings an understanding of how negative life experiences in the past can live on and shape what is going on in the 'now' to a broad audience. It is the 'broad audience' part that really makes this book valuable. It is more than just the quite common theme, 'My "tool" works better than your favorite tool for healing' type of book. Or my theory is better than your theory.Many books on healing and growth focus most of their energy on either the 'why' or the 'how'. One of the keys to healing and growth is having a good balance: an understanding of the 'why', along with some strong tools for transformation. A good understanding of the why, with no tools, weak tools or the wrong tools leaves one strongly self aware, but stuck in the mess. Having great tools is wonderful, but without some understanding of the how, why and when you should use them, you may be figuratively using a jack hammer in an attempt to build a birdhouse. The why gives you a roadmap, the how gives you tools to get down the road. Francine does a solid job of helping one discern their own personal map and a wide array of tools one may select from in her book.The word personal is key as well. It's not handing one a map, it is helping one build their own map. It is not saying 'These are the tools.' It is providing a wide selection of tools one may choose, or not choose to apply. Tools that you can decide if they might fit for you and if so, how they work for you. One of the things with EMDR that is so notable is that as a Therapist you are not 'doing' EMDR to someone. You help your Client build a map, identify and strengthen tools. Then you help them activate their own built in healing process and stay 'out of the way' other than helping them get unstuck if necessary. I often say when I'm working 'your brain knows what it needs to do to heal'. And it does!In interest of full disclosure, I am a Therapist who uses EMDR extensively. I as well volunteer for the humanitarian organization EMDR HAP as a Facilitator: ie.e. someone who does the hands on application of skills training for Therapists who work with underserved populations.EMDR has been a powerful tool for me, both as a Therapist and on the other side of the 'couch' receiving EMDR myself. EMDR is very robust. It appears that when one experiences overwhelming events it is 'stored' in the brain in a different form of memory than 'normal' memory. Often that memory stays in that form and links to other memories stored in a similar fashion. When that memory is evoked it is experienced like it is happening now, often with the power of many other past events 'plugged' in to it. EMDR seems to tap into a natural self healing mechanism so that once an event is processed to resolution, the 'energy' is out of it.It is difficult to convey the power of EMDR I have witnessed in my Client's lives, my own life and watching as Trainees work on very strong material as part of their training. That is what Francine has done an excellent job of conveying in her book. Understanding how overwhelming events may influence our life, friends, families and others lives, and the world is important. And having the tools to begin healing, allows one to begin alleviating suffering. As well to bring forth the gifts we all possess, that seem to be 'frozen' in the bad stuff from the past that replays like a dollar night horror movie, really brings a boundless cascade of good stuff to our lives and the world.What Francine does with this book is bring the good things that she has learned about healing over the years, in re both the map and the tools, to the reader. She is intentionally bringing the healing sparks in the dark into the life of all readers, not just those who are Therapists . That is her intent with this book, to make that healing more widely available in the world. We can choose to ignore those sparks, or light them in ourselves and thus bring them to the world. They are always there waiting for us when we are ready for the light.

I get it, "It's the memories stupid". That's how our session started after my client read GPYP. Although we worked very successfully together, it was not until she read Dr. Shapiro's book, Getting Past your Past", did she "fully" appreciate how the influences of her past poorly integrated memories negatively impacted her current relationship with her son. It's not that I didn't know it before she said, but the book was just so clear in illustrating how distressing life events can get locked in the nervous system and affect the way we respond to present life events without us being aware of their influence. The book really helped me look at a number of current situations with fresh eyes".I'm sure my clients revelation is not unique to her. I as a practicing EMDR therapist, I too had a similar experience. As you read people's stories, your brain can't help but associate to situations in your own life of how negative experiences still influence you today. That tendency of the mind to associate, is fundamental to EMDR. Dr. Shapiro's suggests a number of techniques, to help one utilize that associative process to illuminate, draw connections and provide clarity between current life difficulties and the events, from the past, that influence them. "It's the memories stupid", that determine why we suffer and how we can find ways of changing.In addition to clarifying the connection between today and yesterday, the techniques in the book increase an individual's capacity to know how those memories are actually impinging on the present--for my client, it was the awareness that the negativity of her own childhood made her doubt her self as a parent--and therefore looking at her son for confirmation of her own value as a mother. There are exercises that teach people to address those negative beliefs and affects by generating compassion and adding resources that reinforce their self capacities. By carefully following the exercises one learns to put their past in the past, and by doing so finally appreciate that they are "bigger" than their disturbing life experiences and therefore have more choice as to how to operate in the present.I cannot recommend more strongly Dr. Shapiro's, Getting Past your Past. Whether, client, clinician, doctor, lawyer or Indian Chief, your life will be improved from your effort.

I've been working with a therapist on a few issues, and we've been working on incorporating EMDR into my treatment (my therapist is trained in this modality). Reading this book on loan made me realize I had to purchase my own, and I've discussed several passages with my therapist which we were then able to incorporate into my treatment.The author is the creator of EMDR and this book gives some background for the layperson and discusses how to use techniques with and without a therapist. The author reminds the reader that if they're getting into topics or memories that are painful, complex, or overwhelming, that they should consult a counselor or other psychotheraputic professional. There are several writing exercises that could be used with or without a therapist, both as a way to examine your own thoughts and give a useful jumping-off point for sessions.Part of the book that spoke most to me was the discussion of C-PTSD. C-PTSD is Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - when the trauma was on-going and less a discrete event. Because EMDR is known so well for its use in treating PTSD from individual incidents (eg, an attack, an accident, etc) I wasn't sure how well it would apply to a more long-term/chronic issue that resulted in C-PTSD. This book helped give my therapist and me a better angle to pursue and it worked very well.I'd recommend actually doing the writing exercises when possible and making special note of standout incidents - whether you're in therapy or not. It may be worth talking to a therapist/counselor even if you feel like you have everything "dealt with", just in case there's a solution you haven't considered. All in all, excellent book and I'm so glad I read it.

I'm a huge proponent of EMDR, and I find this book very illustrative of many of the principles. However, I have a few qualms about this book. It can make it sound as if EMDR is practically magic, and that in a session or two your traumas could be permanently healed. EMDR is *almost* like magic sometimes, and I suppose it depends on the individual, but my EMDR therapy for C-PTSD is taking much longer than a casual reader of this book might imagine. For instance, my therapist says 8-12 sessions per target is recommended, but Shapiro writes about a sexual abuse survivor breezing through one target per session, as if that were typical. She does not explain why she and this woman were able to work so quickly, and readers might assume everyone's work will go that fast. Additionally, my therapist and I spent MONTHS working on resourcing before we even started processing targets, and the book really kind of glosses over that. On one hand, Shapiro does emphasize what she calls "self control exercises" (aka resourcing) frequently throughout the book, but makes it seem as if 5 or 10 minutes of training is all that's necessary. One frustration is that Shapiro does mention at one point that there are 8 phases of EMDR; I was excited to hear her explain the phases, so I can understand them better as an EMDR patient. However, they were never referenced again in the book! Now on the good side, I found many of the stories to be great ways to understand how memories are stored in the brain/body and sometimes "random" associations are made inappropriately. For instance, the story of the woman who was on a bus, and looking out the window, saw her boyfriend and best friend in a passionate embrace on the street corner. After this betrayal, she developed a fear of public transportation.... just because she'd happened to find out this horrible truth while on a bus! I think many people have such phobias and triggers based in these "random" associations, and most of the time we are unaware of them. Another chapter which fascinated me was the one where she discusses treating bodily ailments with EMDR, such as phantom limb pain, with the pain being an unprocessed memory of the original injury. That makes so much sense. So I do recommend this book, but with reservations. I'm quite glad I waited until I was a year into therapy to read it.

This book helped me understand what EMDR therapy is, why it is needed, and how it can help process raw memories that are holding us back in the past. The gist of this type of therapy is that trauma (big and small) can cause some memories not to process correctly in our memory banks, so later on in life when something triggers that memory, all the original, raw emotions are still attached to that initial subconscious memory, and these raw emotions can cause us to act irrationally. These unprocessed memories cause misbeliefs to be formed in our subconscious–thoughts like I am worthless or I don’t have any control of my life–and these affect how we react to present situations in strange, often negative, ways. This therapy helps you learn how to find a safe place in your mind and to float back to memories that make you feel certain ways. Using eye movement (which seems to help stimulate the brain to bring up matching memories related to the misbelief, the therapist guides the patient through memories to help them find the core misbelief that is negatively affecting their present life. It was a very fascinating read, learning more about how our brains work and the many different reasons why people might do the dumb, cruel, or self-defeating behaviors due to these misbeliefs they unconsciously hold onto.

I am an EMDR clinician. This book is my consistent recommendation since I work with our military. First of all this book explains trauma in a way that is very easy to relate to so people who cannot connect their experience with their symptoms can do so through learning what it does to your brain and body. Then it offers examples that anyone can relate to so they can see themselves to have hope and courage to try it. Then it offers simple protocols to experience the transformation of the symptoms which can be irrational fears, impulsive reactions, difficulty in getting yourself to do things, avoidance of situations that are implicit memories, meaning unconscious memories, opening the narrow thinking that trauma creates, and a relaxation of the tension to allow normal daily functioning and reduce feelings of the isolation with the big plus of reducing body limitations that re-enact the trauma. In talking to one service member I found out that this book had been mentioned at the VA he goes to. But without a personal recommendation it sounds like just another book and since trauma produces an inability of focus and concentration, trauma survivors are not eager to try it. When I tell them about it I get an enthusiastic response since many opportunities for recovery are not so available for various reasons. I have had my co-workers read the example of a service member who discovered many things about his trauma and made a recovery in such a short time. It gives all of us hope that those who try it will find the peace of releasing their traumatic experiences.

I've gone through EMDR therapy with a professional then came across Shapiro's book years later. As the creator of this amazing therapy, her insights are incredibly trustworthy about how we can help ourselves in addition to professional guidance as needed. If you are interested in learning more about EMDR, I suggest you start with this book first AND ALSO find a certified therapist to take you through a thorough healing journey.

This book is so educational! It has a lot of great information and it teaches you about EMDR therapy. It’s very effective! I would highly recommend this book.

En perfectas condiciones Para aprender sobre el mindfulness.

I’ve learned about EMDR first via my therapist working on my complex PTSD. This intrigued me to find out more about Francine Shapiro‘s framework for trauma sensitive therapy. In this book you’ll find many information on the topic, illustrated by plenty of examples. Based on this theoretical framework Shapiro offers a program with exercises to detect unprocessed memories as well as trauma associated cognitions and emotions that still affect your behavior. As a next step you’ll find techniques to help your neuronal system to process these memories or step by step change your maladaptive cognitions, emotions and behavior. So, in addition to the work I do with my therapist, this helps a lot to stabilize myself and get more into depth. I can highly recommend the work of Francine Shapiro.

A strong read, if your interested in how we process things and how we desk with the past this is a must read

Very good book, well written. I highly recommend for everyone.

Essential reading for all I believe, to understand how any level of trauma from childhood or adulthood can affect your every day behaviours and what can be done to unravel/ process them.