Counselors Use Eye-Movement Therapy to Help Cure Phobias, Trauma

FARMINGTON, N.M. -- Twin green lights move back and forth horizontally across a screen, at times blending into a single fluorescent line.

Diane Hebbard slides her right foot in and out of her sandal in nervous tension as Bill Eubank guides her on a journey into the past.

Hebbard, a teacher at Navajo Ministries, is afraid of heights.

Eubank, a counselor at the ministries, specializes in a type of therapy called Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, which commonly is used to treat combat veterans or other victims of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder.

Eubank also uses EMDR to relieve anxiety from phobias, such as Hebbard's fear of heights. He is one of only a couple local therapists certified in EMDR, but many others are trained to use the method as part of their practices.

"This technique has the ability to just bring your anxiety level down and it stays there," Eubank said. "It can be used with every client."

Tears threatened to tumble from Hebbard's eyes Monday as she described the stomach pains, heart palpitations and general anxiety she felt when standing on a cliff or watching her husband climb a ladder.

"I feel like I'm going to cry just thinking about it," she said as Eubank directed her to a chair in his darkened office, then handed her a set of earphones.

Hebbard rated her discomfort about heights at a 10 on a scale of 1-to-10 at the beginning of her session. Eubank's goal was to diminish that as much as possible in 45 minutes.