EMDR Therapy
What Is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapy that uses eye movement or bilateral stimulation to diminish the intensity of unprocessed traumatic memories. EMDR can be an effective treatment for many mental health issues, including anxiety, depression, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other trauma-related disorders.
Researched and developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro Ph.D. in 1989, “EMDR treatment has been shown to help clients access and process traumatic memories so they no longer cause emotional distress.”[1] The EMDR International Association (EMDRIA) recognizes EMDR as an extensively researched and highly effective form of therapy.”[2]
The efficacy of EMDR has resulted in this treatment being endorsed by health organizations worldwide as a helpful therapy to recover from trauma related to natural disasters, war, genocide, and other global catastrophes. Not only does the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) recommend the use of EMDR counseling but the World Health Organization (WHO) has stated that EMDR therapy “should be considered for people suffering from PTSD. EMDR techniques help people reduce vivid, unwanted, repeated recollections of traumatic events.”[3],[4]
How Does EMDR Therapy Work?
By utilizing rapid eye movement or other bilateral stimulation—such as hand-tapping along the upper arms or hand-held paddles—within therapy sessions, EMDR effectively recreates the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) stage of sleep. REM is the deepest stage of sleep when dreams occur and our brain processes recent events.
Under normal circumstances, REM sleep is sufficient to handle the routine stressors we encounter in waking life. However, when what we experience creates more trauma than our brain can process during REM sleep, these troubling memories become stuck in our psyche. EMDR therapy allows a well-focused reprocessing of these stuck memories to occur.
What makes EMDR treatment so effective is how it can tap into the client’s psyche without them having to consciously think about the memory. Think of the brain’s memory bank as a filing cabinet. When a traumatic memory gets stuck in the wrong drawer, it continues to resurface and cause unwelcome symptoms—such as panic attacks, intrusive thoughts, and nightmares. Revisiting the memory at the same time as using bilateral stimulation allows the “stuck file” to loosen and move into the correct drawer of the brain’s filing cabinet.
Throughout EMDR therapy sessions, the intensity of the stuck memory will gradually fade. Although never disappearing completely, the memory will no longer carry the emotional weight it once did. With EMDR counseling, the client’s subconscious mind does the work to refile the memory while the therapist simply guides the process.
Who Can Benefit From EMDR Therapy?
Whether you suffer from anxiety, depression, or trauma that can cause PTSD due to having experienced childhood abuse, sexual, relational, or community violence, an active shooter incident, natural disasters, war, or even a minor car accident, EMDR counseling offers relief. Many people will have disturbing dreams, intrusive thoughts, heightened startle responses, and are still disturbed by vivid memories, EMDR therapy can help them fade over time. And as the memories fade, so too will the symptoms of trauma.
By their very nature, some occupations have a higher potential for exposure to traumatic situations. We can help veterans, active-duty military, first responders, law enforcement, and medical staff alleviate the work trauma that impacts their mental health.
Why We Love EMDR Therapy
After working in a crisis center for domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking for ten years, Rayna treated clients who had suffered acute trauma. Working with these clients, she realized that she needed another approach for treating PTSD besides talk therapy. That’s when she decided to become certified with EMDRIA.
Since incorporating EMDR therapy into her private practice, the results have been impressive. Not only is EMDR effective for minimizing clients’ trauma symptoms but the treatment tends to be much faster than traditional talk therapy. After only one or two sessions, clients usually begin to feel some relief. And with approximately three months of weekly treatment, the traumatic memory has diminished in its intensity to the point that it no longer triggers any physical reactions. If there is more than one traumatic memory to address, EMDR treatment allows clients to chip away at these memories one at a time.
Our Approach To EMDR Treatment
We begin by learning a little about your history and creating a treatment plan to determine which memories to target with EMDR therapy. However, before you begin the EMDR process with your counselor, we will first set out to build rapport and trust with you. This therapeutic relationship is the foundation of successful EMDR treatment.
Depending upon your needs, we may also incorporate mindfulness, guided imagery, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) to augment treatment. We might also take a break for one or two sessions to work on another modality or just talk about what is happening in your life currently, before returning to EMDR therapy. You will know when we’ve completed treatment because the memory will become neutralized and no longer be a problem for you.
Find Out How EMDR Therapy Can Help You
Once you begin EMDR therapy, you will begin to notice that your symptoms of trauma begin to gradually diminish. As we continue to refile stuck memories into your brain’s “filing cabinet”, you will experience more and more relief from what was previously so disturbing. This in turn will help you feel more empowered, secure, safe, and happy in your life.
There is always hope for feeling better—all it takes is making the first phone call. To schedule a free, 15-minute consultation to learn more about EMDR therapy, please contact us.
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