EMDR THERAPY
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is an evidenced-based therapy frequently used in the treatment of trauma.
what’s so special about emdr?
EMDR is quite different than what you might know as “talk-therapy.” Traditional talk therapies often involve verbally processing your thoughts and feelings about a certain issue and learning ways to cope more effectively in the future. This type of therapy is great and can be very effective. However, EMDR is different in that it directly affects the way your brain processes information.
You might be thinking, Changing my brain? That sounds pretty major. Yes, it is! That’s why EMDR has such strong supporters - the results can be life-changing! But don’t worry. EMDR isn’t going to fundamentally change your personality. It simply works to correct “brain mistakes” that occurred at the time of a significant trauma.
Let’s break this down…
How does trauma affect your brain?
When something happens to cause extremely high levels of stress or anxiety, your brain has a hard time processing and storing information from that event. When information isn’t processed and stored appropriately, you might start to re-experience the traumatic event (the sights, the smells, the sounds, etc.) over and over.
Re-experiencing trauma - via flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, nightmares, etc. - can happen occasionally or it can happen all the time. Some people go years without re-experiencing a trauma that they suffered, and then one day something triggers their brain to start replaying it again!
If you’ve experienced trauma, you know how distressing it can be to relive aspects of your trauma over and over again.
How does EMDR work?
In EMDR therapy, we use “bilateral stimulation” (most commonly eye movements or tapping) to access memories stored in you brain, which can be difficult or painful to access in talk-therapy. Then, we work to “reprocess” the information your brain stored. Because we’re doing more than just verbal processing, this process can work to heal lasting effects of trauma in both your body and your brain.
IS EMDR RIGHT FOR ME?
Though EMDR is most widely known for its effectiveness in significantly reducing PTSD symptoms, it has also proven effective in treating other mental health issues including:
depression
anxiety
panic attacks
specific phobias
No matter what the presenting issue is, the goal of EMDR is to alleviate symptoms of emotional distress caused by difficult life experiences.
Who can perform emdr therapy?
EMDR should only be provided by qualified mental health providers who have completed the appropriate training. I completed EMDR training in 2019. If you’d like to see my credentials, please feel free to ask!
Credentials aside, it’s also important that you find a therapist you can trust. Trauma therapy, whether it’s EMDR or not, is tough. It’s possible you may experience painful emotions prior to feeling better. For this reason, I don’t typically start with EMDR right off the bat with new clients. First, we work together to ensure that you’re well equipped with coping strategies to manage tough emotions when the arise. That way, when we do begin EMDR, you can get the most out of your experience. Your safety will always be my number one priority.