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 and uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to repeatedly activate opposite sides of the brain. Therapists often use eye movements to facilitate the bilateral stimulation. These eye movements mimic the period of sleep referred to as rapid eye movement or REM sleep, and this portion of sleep is frequently considered to be the time when the mind processes the recent events in the person’s life.
EMDR seems to help the brain reprocess the trapped memories is 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 relational traumas or childhood abuse and/or neglect. For a more detailed explanation please visit 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
- Procrastination
- Complicated Grief
- Disturbing Memories
- Phobias
- Performance Anxiety
- Stress Reduction
Research has proven psychotherapy to be the most effective form of treatment for trauma. Most commonly, eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is used in treating trauma.
My approach to trauma through EMDR is based on how your brain heels trauma. How EMDR helps you to lessen the intensity of the emotion and then you are able to manage the emotion when you get triggered. Trauma gets locked in your nervous system with original picture, thoughts, feelings that is connected to old experience. When you get triggered in the present by a smell, sound or sensation in the body, you experience discomfort, fear and helplessness. When processing memories, you unlock the nervous system and allow your brain to process the experience and heal, just like REM dream sleep.
Contact me today for a free phone consultation to see if EMDR might help you release what no longer serves you.
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You can find me at Emdria website