What Is EMDR? Concluding Commentary by Greenwald and Response by Shapiro

This Point/Counterpoint concludes the interchange in Greenwald, R. and Shapiro, F. (2010) What is EMDR?: Commentary by Greenwald and Invited Response by Shapiro Journal of EMDR Practice and Research, 4, 170–179. Greenwald Rejoinder : In this rejoinder, I highlight areas of agreement between Shapiro and me that were obscured by Shapiro’s (2010) response to my ( Greenwald, 2010 ) commentary. I also address some of the erroneous statements made by Shapiro (2010) in her arguments against my positions. Finally, I summarize our disagreements, and again assert that until we have an empirical basis for preferring a particular theoretical model of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR), it is premature for professional organizations to endorse Shapiro’s model. Shapiro Response : In response to Greenwald, I again confine myself to addressing some of the errors and misconceptions in his arguments in relation to important aspects of EMDR therapy, theory, and research. Further, contrary to his assertion, there is already a sufficient empirical basis to support the preferential use of the adaptive information processing (AIP) model from which the EMDR procedures were formulated. His argument against this position is antithetical to the traditional process by which foundational models are challenged, refined, or replaced. Implications are salient to both training and practice.