OMAHA, Neb. (August 18, 2016) – Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska (LFS) is more than doubling its EMDR, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, program from 17 to 43 EMDR-trained therapists with training provided by the EMDR Institute.
The $34,000 training for LFS therapists is being provided by the Institute at no cost to LFS. Additional staff will improve LFS’ capacity to conduct research on children and adolescents who undergo EMDR therapy in Nebraska according to Robbie Dunton, administrative director and co-owner of the EMDR Institute.
“One of the EMDR Institute facilitators in Omaha recommended LFS,” said Dunton.
EMDR is a therapy found to be highly effective in the treatment of trauma and many types of psychological stress. The treatment is most often associated with the use of a light bar, but also utilizes sound to simultaneously stimulate both sides of the brain. The techniques were developed by Psychologist Francine Shapiro in 1989. Since then, the treatment has gained wider acceptance by
professional therapists and the medical community.
Cyndi Muhlbauer and Ben Czyz, EMDR program coordinators for LFS, began using EMDR treatment on their clients in 2009. Five years later they published their findings, recommendations and outlined a process for providing adjunctive EMDR therapy.
“Over half of clients I serve experience symptoms related to child sexual abuse,” said Czyz. “With the increase in providers, we’ll be able to provide a very effective treatment option to a greater number of children.”
Muhlbauer and and Czyz will be providing advice to organizations interested in creating or expanding their own EMDR programs this October in partnership with The Kim Foundation and Trauma Recovery, EMDR Humanitarian Assistance Programs.
There are currently over 20,000 EMDR-trained professionals worldwide.
For more information about the LFS EMDR program and upcoming seminars, contact Cyndi Muhlbauer at (402) 661-3139 or Ben Czyz at (402) 550-2740.
