What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that engages the brain to facilitate the natural healing process. It is a structured, 8-phase therapy that incorporates assessment, treatment planning, resourcing (skills to enhance relaxation, emotional tolerance, and feeling grounded), as well as processing difficult experiences.
Our brain is meant to process information and experiences just as our body is meant to digest food (to use a simple analogy). When we take a bite of food, chew it up and swallow, our bodies digest the food without us even having to think about it. We naturally keep what we need and get rid of what we don't! Our brains are meant to do the same. However, when trauma occurs, natural processing is interrupted in an attempt to help us to survive. It's as if a piece of food gets stuck and never gets into the body to be digested. Although we survive the trauma, the emotions, body sensations, and negative beliefs get stuck and are susceptible to be triggered and re-experienced.
In EMDR therapy, after appropriate preparation and resourcing, a client identifies the aspects of a trauma that got "stuck." Eye movement (or other bilateral or dual-attention stimuli) is added to help the brain naturally "digest" or process the experiences. This results in desensitizing (or letting go of) the disturbance and reprocessing the experiences, to provide relief. Further, we are then able to access an adaptive, positive belief about oneself and experience new feelings and perspectives about the experience.
Many clients report a sense of relief, peace, and freedom. My approach is to understand a client's experience, help identify options for change, and engage a client in healing, processing, and transforming their life experiences. By assisting a client through the process of healing, one can embrace their potential and move forward in one's chosen direction. As a result, clients feel empowered and experience freedom in their lives.
EMDR has been extensively researched and widely recognized as an effective trauma therapy and evidenced-based treatment for PTSD. EMDR therapy can be used to address a wide array of challenges to include:
EMDR should only be administered by an EMDRIA-trained and licensed clinician.
LINKS:
EMDR International Association for information and resources regarding EMDR: www.emdria.org
Introduction to EMDR video from EMDRIA, describing trauma and EMDR therapy: https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY
A video explaining the Working Memory Theory of EMDR: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJXYN9bPOg
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a type of therapy that engages the brain to facilitate the natural healing process. It is a structured, 8-phase therapy that incorporates assessment, treatment planning, resourcing (skills to enhance relaxation, emotional tolerance, and feeling grounded), as well as processing difficult experiences.
Our brain is meant to process information and experiences just as our body is meant to digest food (to use a simple analogy). When we take a bite of food, chew it up and swallow, our bodies digest the food without us even having to think about it. We naturally keep what we need and get rid of what we don't! Our brains are meant to do the same. However, when trauma occurs, natural processing is interrupted in an attempt to help us to survive. It's as if a piece of food gets stuck and never gets into the body to be digested. Although we survive the trauma, the emotions, body sensations, and negative beliefs get stuck and are susceptible to be triggered and re-experienced.
In EMDR therapy, after appropriate preparation and resourcing, a client identifies the aspects of a trauma that got "stuck." Eye movement (or other bilateral or dual-attention stimuli) is added to help the brain naturally "digest" or process the experiences. This results in desensitizing (or letting go of) the disturbance and reprocessing the experiences, to provide relief. Further, we are then able to access an adaptive, positive belief about oneself and experience new feelings and perspectives about the experience.
Many clients report a sense of relief, peace, and freedom. My approach is to understand a client's experience, help identify options for change, and engage a client in healing, processing, and transforming their life experiences. By assisting a client through the process of healing, one can embrace their potential and move forward in one's chosen direction. As a result, clients feel empowered and experience freedom in their lives.
EMDR has been extensively researched and widely recognized as an effective trauma therapy and evidenced-based treatment for PTSD. EMDR therapy can be used to address a wide array of challenges to include:
- Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobias
- Attachment and early childhood trauma
- Depression and bipolar disorders
- Dissociative disorders
- Grief and loss
- PTSD and other trauma and stress-related issues
- Sexual assault
- Sleep disturbance
- Violence and abuse
EMDR should only be administered by an EMDRIA-trained and licensed clinician.
LINKS:
EMDR International Association for information and resources regarding EMDR: www.emdria.org
Introduction to EMDR video from EMDRIA, describing trauma and EMDR therapy: https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY
A video explaining the Working Memory Theory of EMDR: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TlJXYN9bPOg
