Francine Shapiro
Francine Shapiro (February 18, 1948 – June 16, 2019) was an American psychologist and educator who originated and developed eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), a form of psychotherapy for resolving the symptoms of traumatic and other disturbing life experiences.
Francine Shapiro | |
|---|---|
| Born | February 18, 1948 Brooklyn, New York City, US |
| Died | June 16, 2019 (aged 71) Sea Ranch, California, US |
| Alma mater | Brooklyn College New York University |
| Occupation | Psychologist |
| Known for | Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy |
In 1987, she had an experience walking through a park that led to the observation that moving her eyes from side to side appeared to reduce the disturbance of negative thoughts and memories. This experience led her to examine this phenomenon more systematically. Working with approximately 70 volunteers, she developed standardized procedures to maximize therapeutic outcomes, conducted additional research and published a randomized controlled study with trauma victims. After further research and elaboration of the methodology, she published a textbook in 1995 detailing the eight phases of this form of psychotherapy. The text is now in its third edition.