Health · Mental Health · 13 hrs ago
Shark attack survivor says EMDR helped her cope with PTSD
Leah Stewart says EMDR helped her cope with PTSD after a suspected shark attack at Coogee Beach in Sydney.
Stewart was swimming between the flags on June 13 when she was mauled and suffered severe injuries, including the loss of part of one arm.
She spent two weeks in a coma and had multiple surgeries.
The attack left her with nightmares and fear that replayed constantly, making it difficult to sleep.
EMDR involves recalling a traumatic event while following eye movements, which is intended to help the brain process the memory.
Stewart says the therapy reduced her fear response and made it possible to remember the attack without feeling as if she were back in the water.
She urged Australians with PTSD to consider EMDR as a treatment option.
The therapy was added to Medicare’s list of approved Focused Psychological Strategies in May 2020.
Shark attack survivor Leah Stewart says eye movement desensitisation and reprocessing (EMDR) helped her cope with post-traumatic stress.
Stewart was attacked by a suspected great white shark at Sydney’s Coogee Beach on June 13.
She spent two weeks in a coma and underwent multiple surgeries, including the amputation of one arm below the elbow.
She said EMDR helped reduce the fear and vivid nightmares she experienced when recalling the attack.
Stewart urged other Australians with PTSD to consider EMDR as a treatment option.
- Who
- Leah Stewart, a shark attack survivor.
- What
- She says EMDR helped her cope with PTSD and the trauma of the attack.
- When
- The attack happened on June 13; Stewart shared her experience in a video on Thursday. The year of the attack is not stated.
- Where
- Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia.
- Why
- Stewart used EMDR to process the traumatic event and manage her PTSD symptoms.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Stewart was attacked by a suspected great white shark while swimming between the flags at Coogee Beach.
Stewart spent two weeks in a coma and underwent multiple surgeries, including an arm amputation below the elbow.
EMDR was added to Medicare’s list of approved Focused Psychological Strategies.
Stewart shared a video about her experience with EMDR.
- Survivor
- Leah Stewart
- Attack location
- Coogee Beach, Sydney
- Attack date
- June 13; year not stated
- Time in coma
- Two weeks
- Amputation
- One arm below the elbow
- EMDR and Medicare
- Added to the approved Focused Psychological Strategies list in May 2020
What people are saying
If you had told me that by November I would be handling it mentally, I would not have believed you.
Now, I can think back on it and it just feels like something that's happened. I can recall it but my body doesn't feel it like I felt when I was in the water.
I would feel like I was back in the water. Constantly, the shark attack was replaying in my head on a loop, 24 hours a day, for months on end.
I couldn't sleep at night. I was having nightmares and I was waking up in sweats every single day.