Own expierence of using juggling in EMDR to treat PTSD

Rik Konings — 2009-02-13T00:00:00Z

Realy interesting article te read. I am a juggler for over 5 years and unluckely three years ago I had a live threatening attack by a forensic psychiatry-patient, I was strangled and physical abbused during a few minutes. I then developped PTSD and had a very succesfull threatment with EMDR. For me it was like a miracle. After that I kept on working with these dangerous group of patients and 9 monthts ago I got attacked and threated again. In short time I again devellopped lots of complains that made the diagnose PTSD an easy one. The EMDR I had in the first two months after the incident didn't bring me much effect. Afterwards I went to an other psychotherapist, specialised in traumatreatment. When he heard about my juggling he suggested to do the EMDR with doing the 3-ball cascade, as in the article. I must say that I am really satisfied by the result of the sessions that my therapist used the juggling as a help in the EMDR. At first when we where using this method I was thinking of it as a kind of a selffulfilling therapy, as I wanted it to be a succes. So I was surprised to read in the june-number of Kaskade(European Juggling Magazine) the announcement of this article and the conclusions of the authors.

For me is the effect of the treatment in that way even more of help because I use it in joggling(jogging and juggling). I run for about an hour while juggling three balls in cascade. It helps me te become relaxed and if I can continue training this way it it my goal to run a half marathon while juggling. I am not recovered yet from my PTSD but I think the juggling helps me te recover.

Greetings, Rik Konings

Eindhoven Holland

Article Comments - 'Effect of juggling therapy on Anxiety Disorders in female patients. '

Own expierence of using juggling in EMDR to treat PTSD