EMDR Therapy: Begin Healing from Trauma Today

Are you ready to take the first step towards healing? Contact our clinic today to schedule a consultation with one of our certified EMDR therapists. Begin your journey toward recovery and regain control over your life with EMDR therapy.

The EMDR Therapy Process: An Overview
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy stands out as a groundbreaking approach to healing from trauma. Developed in the late 1980s by Dr. Francine Shapiro, EMDR therapy has become a widely recognized and effective method for processing traumatic memories and alleviating the distress associated with them.

This comprehensive guide will delve into what EMDR therapy is, how it works, and the profound benefits it offers to those struggling with traumatic experiences.

What is EMDR Therapy?

EMDR therapy is a structured form of psychotherapy designed to alleviate the stress associated with traumatic memories. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses directly on the memory, and is intended to change the way that the memory is stored in the brain, thus reducing and eliminating the problematic symptoms. At the core of EMDR therapy is its ability to help the brain’s information processing system naturally move toward mental health.

The EMDR Therapy Process: An Overview

EMDR therapy is an eight-phase treatment that typically progresses through the following steps:

History and Treatment Planning: The therapist assesses the client’s history and decides where to start the treatment, identifying specific traumatic memories and current situations that cause emotional distress.
Preparation: The therapist ensures the client has several different ways of handling emotional distress and teaches the client self-control techniques to use during and between sessions.
Assessment: The therapist identifies the vivid visual image connected to the memory, a negative belief about self, related emotions and body sensations.
Desensitization: This phase focuses on the eye movements or other bilateral stimulation while the client focuses on the traumatic memory, with the aim being to reduce the client’s distress.
Installation: The goal is to concentrate on and increase the strength of the positive belief that the client would like to have.
Body Scan: The therapist asks the client to bring the memory to mind and notices any residual tension in the body.
Closure: This ensures the client leaves at the end of the session feeling better than at the beginning.
Reevaluation: At the beginning of subsequent sessions, the therapist checks the progress made so far.

How Does EMDR Therapy Work?

The most innovative component of EMDR therapy involves what is known as bilateral stimulation—typically eye movements—where the therapist guides the client in moving their eyes back and forth across their field of vision. This part of the process is thought to be linked to the biological mechanisms involved in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep, helping to process the unconscious material. It’s believed that this eye movement, when happening concurrently with the recall of traumatic events, helps to reduce the emotional impact of the memory.

Benefits of EMDR Therapy

The benefits of EMDR therapy are wide-ranging, particularly for individuals who have experienced trauma. These benefits include:

Reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with trauma memories
Decreased PTSD symptoms such as flashbacks and anxiety
Improvement in many aspects of emotional well-being

Who Can Benefit from EMDR Therapy?

While EMDR therapy was initially developed to treat PTSD, over the years, it has also been used to address a variety of other conditions, including:

Anxiety
Depression
Panic attacks
Eating disorders
Addiction

Finding a Qualified EMDR Therapist

Selecting a qualified EMDR therapist is crucial for effective treatment. It is important to choose a therapist who is specifically trained in EMDR therapy and certified by an accredited EMDR organization.

Conclusion: The Path to Healing with EMDR Therapy

EMDR therapy offers a promising path for those affected by trauma to reclaim their lives. Its unique approach to processing traumatic memories makes it a valuable tool in the arsenal of psychological treatments. If you are struggling with the effects of trauma, consider reaching out to a trained EMDR therapist to explore how this therapy could be beneficial for you.