A Photograph Exposes EMDR's True Origins

Gerald Rosen and Loren Pankratz argue that Francine Shapiro's widely promoted origin story for EMDR—discovering its effects during a walk—is false, presenting photographic and historical evidence that her ideas were influenced earlier by neurolinguistic programming. By undermining this foundational narrative, they contend that the credibility and claimed effectiveness of EMDR deserve greater scientific scrutiny. Read this article and find accompanying references at: https://skepticalinquirer.org/2026/04/a-photograph-exposes-emdrs-true-origins/ About the Authors: Gerald M. Rosen, PhD, is retired from his private practice and continues as a clinical professor emeritus with the Department of Psychology, University of Washington, Seattle. He has published articles on various issues of concern to psychology, including self-help books, problems with PTSD as a diagnostic construct, vanity certification credentials, and novel therapies such as EMDR. He coedited the book Clinician's Guide to Posttraumatic Stress Disorder. Loren Pankratz, PhD, was a consultation psychologist at the Portland VA Medical Center and professor in the Department of Psychiatry at Oregon Health Sciences University. He maintained a forensic practice after retirement but now is focused on writing and collecting books on the history of deception. He is author of the book Mysteries and Secrets Revealed: From Oracles at Delphi to Spiritualism in America and is a CSI fellow. Subscribe to Skeptical Inquirer: https://skepticalinquirer.org/subscribe/