Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Introduction to EMDR Therapy
I am fully certified in EMDR, meaning that I have completed an approved EMDR training, obtained additional hours of supervised consultation, and completed advanced training. I have found EMDR to be an incredibly powerful tool to help clients recover from traumatic events and shift stuck and maladaptive ways of thinking. EMDR can be helpful for not only trauma but also for anxiety, depression, poor self-esteem, and phobias.
What is EMDR?
EMDR therapy is based on the theory that when our brains are overwhelmed by a traumatic or overwhelming event, the natural processing of memories is disrupted. Rather than processing the event and storing the memory in long-term memory, parts of the experience become stuck, resulting in symptoms such as nightmares, hypervigilance, flashbacks, panic attacks, anxiety, somatic complaints, irritability, and intrusive thoughts.
EMDR therapy aims to process the traumatic or overwhelming event through a specialized protocol with the goal of reducing the distress associated with the memory and successfully integrating the memory into long-term memory. At the conclusion of a successful treatment with EMDR, clients continue to remember the events but no longer relive the images, sights, sounds, and feelings when recounting their trauma and view their experiences in a less distressing manner. The trauma is not forgotten, but is significantly less disturbing and disruptive to their well-being.
The EMDR protocol involves 8 phases. During the beginning phases, the therapist guides the client in the development of coping tools and resources to help the client manage any distress that emerges during the processing. A core memory will be selected to target. Sensations, emotions, and negative beliefs about oneself related to the memory will be discussed. As the therapist and client begin to actively process the memory, some form of bilateral stimulation will be used. This may be through eye moments tracking back and forth, alternate tapping, or auditory stimuli. The exact mechanism by which the bilateral stimulation works is still not fully understood but some experts believe that the eye movements in EMDR may be similar to what occurs naturally during rapid eye movement (REM) sleep in which the brain reshapes memory by eliminating unhelpful and unnecessary material.