Clinician perspectives, attitudes, and experiences with eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy: A systematic review

Abstract Eye Movement Desensitisation and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is considered a gold standard treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health conditions underpinned by trauma exposure. Despite EMDR’s evidence-base it remains under prescribed. This systematic review examined clinician perceptions of, and experiences with, EMDR to elucidate the reasons for under prescription. A systematic search of PsycInfo, PsychArticles, Psychology Database, Medline, PubMed, CINAHL, Scopus, and Google Scholar was conducted to identify literature on clinician perceptions of, attitudes towards, and prescription behaviours for, EMDR therapy. Seven studies met criteria for inclusion, however following initial quality appraisal only five were retained. Collectively the quality of the research appeared to be of low-moderate standard. The participant samples were varied across mental health disciplines with the majority of clinicians practicing in the USA. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed approaches were used. Themes highlighted pragmatic obstacles to EMDR prescription including knowledge limitations, training access issues, and minimal post-training support. Additional themes suggested clinicians are hesitant to train in new modalities and that EMDR clinicians may be exposed to workplace bullying and harassment. EMDR under prescription will need to be addressed using a combination of increased resources and education at the individual and workplace/discipline levels.