EMDR Therapy

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing: 

A Breakthrough Treatment

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapy used to treat trauma and its associated symptoms. It is a breakthrough treatment that has been proven to be highly effective in helping people process traumatic memories and experiences, as well as reduce or eliminate the distress and other negative emotions associated with them. EMDR has been used to successfully treat a wide range of trauma, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and phobias. In this blog post, we will discuss how EMDR works and what makes it such an effective tool for treating trauma.

What is EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful therapeutic tool used designed to help people overcome painful life experiences and traumatic events. It is used to treat a variety of issues including Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), anxiety, phobias, attachment issues, depression, child abuse and neglect.

EMDR is a therapeutic approach that stimulates the right and left sides of the brain in order to process maladaptively stores memories that are emotionally painful so that these experiences resolve in an adaptive way so you can experience them less powerfully in your day to day life. The idea behind EMDR is that negative emotions can become trapped in the brain, causing distress and impairing our ability to function normally. Through eye movement or "bilateral stimulation," EMDR helps to access and process these emotions, so you can create new patterns of feeling, thinking and behaving.

During an EMDR session, our therapists will guide you through a series of eye movements or other types of bilateral stimulation while you focus on a particular memory, image, feeling, thought or body sensation. The therapist will ask you to pay attention to what comes to mind, often by saying "notice that" like watching scenery pass by outside a train window. This process helps to rewire the patient’s brain and break down the old, damaging patterns of thought associated with painful events.

EMDR can be used to help people process and cope with painful events and/or trauma associated with a wide range of issues, including child abuse, attachment issues, anxiety, phobias, and depression. With EMDR therapy, patients can start to form healthy attachments, reduce symptoms of PTSD, and create a more positive outlook on life. Child abuse can have long lasting effects on your mental health and well-being, but EMDR has been proven to be successful in treating the symptoms related to child abuse. By helping your brain process maladaptively stored information resulting from the trauma of child abuse and other painful life events, EMDR can provide you with tools to cope with difficult memories, as well as gain insight into current situations that may trigger those memories in the present.

Furthermore, EMDR can also provide victims of child abuse with closure by allowing them to review their memories from a safe distance, free from fear and guilt. As victims of child abuse work through their memories using EMDR, they can begin to move away from feelings of guilt or self-blame towards self-acceptance and empowerment. By using EMDR, those affected by many painful life events can take back control of their lives and develop healthier coping strategies.

How does EMDR work?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a form of psychotherapy developed by Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. It is an evidence-based, highly effective treatment for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and other psychological problems caused by trauma or disturbing life experiences.

The underlying principle of EMDR is that disturbing memories are often stored in the brain in an isolated and unprocessed form. This can lead to physical and psychological distress, such as anxiety, nightmares, flashbacks, and avoidance. EMDR works to help clients process these memories, leading to improved mental health and well-being.
When using EMDR, the therapist will use bilateral stimulation to activate both sides of the brain at the same time. This can be done through eye movements, sounds, or tapping. The client is then asked to focus on a traumatic memory, such as childhood abuse, while the therapist encourages them to let their mind wander. Through this process, the therapist helps the client process the traumatic memory in a more adaptive way and resolve any negative emotions associated with it.

Research has shown that EMDR is effective for treating a variety of traumatic experiences, including but not limited to physical and sexual abuse, combat trauma, car accidents, and natural disasters. In addition, EMDR has been found to reduce symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety. If you have experienced trauma and would like to seek treatment, consider seeking out one of our therapists trained in EMDR.

What are the benefits of EMDR?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful psychotherapy technique that has been proven to help people who have experienced traumatic events such as child abuse, combat, sexual assault, and other life-altering experiences. EMDR has been found to be an effective treatment for PTSD, anxiety, depression, and other conditions.

One of the most significant benefits of EMDR is that it can help individuals process and integrate traumatic memories in a safe, non-threatening environment. This allows them to move past the trauma and on to more positive emotions and behaviors. EMDR has also been found to reduce symptoms of PTSD, including flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, and emotional reactivity. Additionally, EMDR has been found to reduce the intensity of a person’s negative beliefs and emotions related to the trauma or painful life experience.
​
EMDR is also effective in helping individuals who have experienced child abuse. Research has found that EMDR can reduce depression, anxiety, and guilt in those who have been abused as children. It can also help reduce symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and improve overall well-being. Additionally, EMDR can help individuals confront and process difficult memories without feeling overwhelmed or triggered.

Overall, EMDR is an effective treatment for a variety of conditions related to trauma and painful life circumstances. It can help individuals process difficult memories in a safe environment and alleviate symptoms of PTSD, depression, anxiety, and other emotional issues.

Schedule a EMDR session today!