Abilene Christian University's Marriage and Family Institute is offering five free therapy sessions to help local residents dealing with trauma.
Therapists treating trauma have been adding a technique called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for decades. The approach was first used to treat patients experiencing posttraumatic stress disorder in the 1980s. Therapists now use EMDR for people dealing with PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders. Abilene Christian University’s Marriage and Family Therapy Program is offering free sessions to area residents now through June 30th.
A grant from the Community Foundation of Abilene provided training and scholarships for six graduate students who will conduct the therapy, with the intention of increasing access to mental health care for Abilene's underserved populations. In a statement Michelle Parrish, grants director for Community Foundation of Abilene, said the organization is proud to support this effort, “[The program] not only trains new practitioners but also allows them to invest their skills back into our community. It provides an ongoing benefit, years into the future.” The participating graduate students have agreed to stay in Abilene for two years after graduation and charge no more than $50 per hour for EMDR services during that time.
Anyone interested in finding out more can call the Marriage and Family Institute at 325-674-3724.