Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR)
Providing relief to your anxiety & stress
So many people come to therapy, holding intense emotions, negative beliefs and physical burdens associated with stress. People come to me seeking relief and tell me they already tried talking to their family, seeking support groups, praying about it, reading all the self-help books, and changing the circumstances. Many people tell me even trying traditional talk psychotherapy, but not finding much relief from what they are carrying . So is there any hope to be able to be set free of these burdens?
In the medical model of treatment we know getting to the underlying causes of something is more effective than just treating symptoms alone. But many times, we are spending time trying to cope with a gashing wound, rather than treat the wound itself. You got a torn ACL that needs surgery, but are just trying to find ways to feel better. Finding ways to cope with distressing thoughts and emotions after being triggered can be helpful, but why not take the path to understanding where those thoughts and emotions are coming from?
EMDR Therapy:
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy (EMDR) has been shown through clinical research and practice to be one of the most effective forms of therapy because it goes to the root causes of distressing emotions. Everyday I am able to see people make the association between the burdens they carry to past traumatic events or distressing memories that never got addressed. When our mind sees something in the present, it quickly goes back to previous memory and brings up thoughts and emotions associated with that memory. With many negative memories, does that mean we are just stuck relieving everything once we get triggered in the present?
Not necessarily! Try to think of something that was challenging, but you know 100% you overcame it with the right resources. Does that memory bring up the same distress you first experienced? In your adult lens do you see more of your strengths and ability to navigate through? That means your brain has let go of the stress associated with the memory and can see how you have adapted or grown from the experience. This is the Adaptive Information Processing system that our brain uses from memory and how EMDR therapy works.
The eye movements associated with the therapy come from the theory that our brain uses a similar process during the Rapid Eye Movement (REM) part of the sleep each night. Each night after sleep we are able to release some of the stress from the previous day, keep in the healthy or adaptive information from the day and wake up feeling refreshed. Many traumatic or distressing memories don’t get fully processed so they get stuck in the brain or exiled away until something in the present triggers that memory. EMDR therapy seeks to replicate the process used in REM sleep to help reduce stress associated with past memories and install more helpful beliefs and responses to those memories. This is done through using eye movements or other forms of bi-lateral stimulation (using the left and right sides of the brain) when processing through a traumatic or distressing memory.
Start moving closer to your most healed self
The effect of doing this therapy is releasing burdens associated with past memories, reducing the emotional intensity when facing present day triggers, and installing confidence for moving forward. Many people report they see more efficient progress in EMDR therapy than months of talk therapy. EMDR has a specific protocol and process to the therapy that helps ensure its effectiveness. As an EMDR trained therapist, I would be glad to speak further with you to see if EMDR therapy feels like a good fit for you. Please don’t hesitate to schedule a consultation call.