What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from different treatment approaches.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to engage both sides of the brain. While therapists often use guided eye movements to facilitate bilateral stimulation, EMDR can also be practiced virtually using bilateral tapping. During online sessions, your therapist may guide you through gentle alternating taps on the left and right sides of your body, providing bilateral stimulation from the comfort of your own home.
These alternating movements are designed to support the brain’s natural processing of distressing or traumatic experiences. EMDR is based on the understanding that experiences can sometimes become inadequately processed and continue to affect thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Through bilateral stimulation, EMDR may help you process these experiences in a way that supports healing and a greater sense of well-being.
EMDR seems to help the brain reprocess the trapped memories in such a way that normal information processing is resumed. Therapists often use EMDR to help clients uncover and process beliefs that developed as the result of relational traumas, or childhood abuse and/or neglect. For a more detailed explanation please visit the EMDR Institute, Inc.
What does EMDR help?
EMDR had been originally established as helpful for PTSD, although it’s been proven useful for treatment in the following conditions:
- Panic Attacks
- Complicated Grief
- Dissociative Orders
- Disturbing Memories
- Phobias
- Pain Disorders
- Performance Anxiety
- Addictions
- Stress Reduction
- Sexual and/or Physical Abuse
- Body Dysmorphic Disorders
- Personality Disorders
None of the above symptoms or experiences fit you?
Do you experience distressing emotions that appear to you, and perhaps to others, to be excessive given the current situation? Do you tend to be highly reactive to certain triggers? Is there one or more dysfunctional beliefs that you believe about yourself that on an intellectual level you know is not true?
If so, you may still be a good candidate for EMDR therapy. I have completed EMDR Level I and Level II training and have utilized EMDR therapy with many clients.
Contact me today for a free phone consultation to see if EMDR might help you release what no longer serves you.