Village Counseling Center, Family & Marriage Counseling in Arroyo Grande, San Luis Obispo, Santa Maria.
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Benefits of EMDR Treatment

EMDR is now widely accepted

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), though it has been in use for decades, has only recently been publically recognized as one of the premier treatments for PTSD and other anxiety-related disorders.

The U.S. Department of Defense/Department of Veterans Affairs Practice Guidelines have placed EMDR in the highest category, recommended for all trauma populations at all times. In addition, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies current treatment guidelines have designated EMDR as an effective treatment for PTSD. The American Psychiatric Association Practice Guideline (2004) states that EMDR, along with the SSRI family of anti-depressant medications and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are recommended as first-line treatments of trauma.

For further study on the benefits of EMDR and for references for the following data, go to www.emdr.com

Who can benefit from EMDR treatment?

  1. Combat veterans from the Iraq Wars, the Afganistan War, the Vietnam War, the Korean War, and World War II who still experience anxiety, flashbacks, nightmares, and other PTSD symptoms from the the violent or gruesome images and events they were subjected to both in and out of battle situatons
  2. Police officers, fire fighters, paramedics, ER personnel and other first-responders traumatized by the violent or gruesome images and the stressful nature of their work
  3. Sufferers of phobias, panic/anxiety attacks and generalized anxiety disorder
  4. Crime victims and witnesses of violent physical or sexual assault, rape, domestic violence and exposure to other life-threatening situations
  5. People experiencing excessive grief due to the loss of a loved one
  6. Victims of childhood and adolescent molestation
  7. Victims of natural disasters (earthquakes, forest fires, floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc.)
  8. Victims of manmade accidents/disasters (auto, plane, train, boat accidents, residential fires, etc.)
  9. Accident, surgery, and burn victims who experience emotional or physical debilitation
  10. Victims of family, marital and sexual dysfunction
  11. People at all stages of alcohal and chemical dependency, sexual deviation/addiction, and pathological gamblers
  12. People with dissociative disorders
  13. People with performance anxiety or deficits in school, business, performing arts, and sports
  14. People with somatic problems/somatoform disorders, including migraines, chronic pain, phantom limb pain, chronic eczema, gastrointestinal problems, CFS, psychogenic seizures, and negative body image
  15. Sufferers from acute trauma and wide variety of PTSD and trauma-based personality issues

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Clay Watkins is a licensed marriage and family therapist specializing in the use of EMDR in the treatment of PTSD, childhood or adult trauma, anxiety, panic and phobias, with offices located in San Luis Obispo, Arroyo Grande, and Santa Maria, California.

All contents © 2000-2009 Village Counseling Center

Our director, Clay Watkins, M.A. LMFT, a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist. Our director, Clay Watkins, LMFT, is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. He provides individual, couples and family counseling. He specializes in anxiety-related difficulties including panic attacks, post-traumatic stress (PTSD) and phobias. He has advanced training and a decade of experience utilizing EMDR to treat trauma, and his unique brand of counseling integrates a solution-focused perspective that often speeds up the therapy process compared to more traditional forms of counseling. (BBS License #: MFC 37239)
Clay's Curriculum Vitae

In addition to seeing clients himself, Clay coordinates referrals to a network of experienced and qualified counselors with a variety of specialties to meet your specific needs. Contact him today and start creating a better life for you and your family.

Philosophy

At Village Counseling Center we believe most people have the resources to solve their problems. At times, however, a trauma or broken relationships or even the normal pressures of life can cause us to lose sight of our strengths; obscuring our natural ability to problem solve. Counseling provides a safe place where clients can regain their perspective, find acceptance, and challenge themselves to grow. And though true growth does require significant effort and courage, we at Village Counseling Center believe happiness is worth the price. Call us and begin building a better life, one risk at a time.

Learn more about Solution-Focused Therapy

Learn more about EMDR and the treatment of trauma, fear and anxiety