Eye Movement Therapy

Could Eye Movement Therapy help those suffering from serious stress disorders and phobias?

BBC Inside Out follows the story of Suzanne Gibbons who witnessed a fatal motorbike crash near Lowestoft two years ago. Shock turned into post traumatic stress disorder and she has been unable to work or drive a car due to flashbacks. A course of treatment with Norfolk therapist Sue Bayliss has helped to restore her life.

During the therapy the client has to visualise an image of the trauma. The therapist then waves a finger in front of their eyes from left to right. Each time the client says the trauma becomes more blurry. Why the treatment works remains a mystery but one theory is that it mimics REM sleep and allows the brain to process the trauma.