Francine Shapiro (1948–2019)

Getting Past Your Past by Dr. Francine Shapiro utilizes Eye Movement Desensitization and Remodeling (EMDR) therapy to help you overcome your struggles. My first impression is one of confusion because I don’t actually know what EMDR is. However, it does sound quite interesting so I continue reading.

The idea of EMDR is to allow yourself to process memories or sensations that might be affecting your cognition in the present. It is based on the idea of digesting experiences when you sleep show more using Rapid Eye Movement. I don’t exactly know why it works, but it seems that it does for a number of people. So in order to process these memories, you have to bring them to your current awareness and deal with them. The book includes techniques bring these memories to the forefront of your consciousness and other techniques to deal with those very same memories. Some of them I have heard of while others are new to me.

As with most guides that deal with crucial events and memories, you probably shouldn’t do this yourself if you have a serious issue. The book does have a disclaimer in it so that is usually an indication that the information in it could be upsetting or dangerous. Seriously, if you have a large problem like Post Traumatic Stress Disorder or something along those lines it is best to seek professional aid.

I liked the book well enough even though it did have some disturbing and terrible personal stories in it. The advice and sliver of hope that it offers compensate for it pretty well. Many of the people in the book that did share their experiences hoped that they would be able to help others and that is fantastic. show less

who does this book appeal to? who is this book for?

over the course of this book precious little is communicated abt EMDR; the theory behind it, the process and methods. mostly we get glimpses into its inspiration, history, and case studies/examples

but this is all communicated thru narrative anecdotes, excruciatingly slow, they all read like bad YA fiction. nothing abt the style or tone of the narrativization lends itself to an explanation or articulation of emdr

im all for experimental show more communication of novel methods, experimental nonfiction writing, and a focus on emotions, but this is simply bad writing. if she wanted to make the book easy-to-process light reading for those who dont read much nonfiction, or just want to get a glimpse/gloss of what emdr is, then this book shouldve been 1/25 the length! who is going to continue thru these passages to continue learning nothing abt the topic while enduring overly-earnest and sluggish clinical prose! show less

At first, I liked this book. I went into it open-minded and ready to learn about dealing with my past. But as the book progressed, EMDR seemed more and more pseudo-scientific. My attitude shifted from treatment I would seek out for myself or loved ones to something to avoid.

I've had EMDR and this book explained the process well.