What is EMDR?…
Imagine walking down a pathway and running into a brick wall. You need to get to the other side, but the wall is blocking you from continuing on your way. This pathway is your brain and the brick wall is your trauma. EMDR helps to break down and restructure the wall, incorporating the bricks into the pathway along with your other memories and enabling for a smoother journey.
EMDR, short for Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing, is a form of psychotherapy used to overcome emotional and psychological barriers, heal trauma, and move through life obstacles. Developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987, this profound trauma treatment takes the symptoms of emotional distress resulting from painful life experiences and transforms them into less distressing memories. The result is the client feels less activated...essentially memories that were previously overwhelmingly are now just memories.
What can I expect?…
Using EMDR, you will be supported in accessing painful memories stored deep within your brain’s memory networks. After bringing the memories to the surface, your therapist will use bilateral brain stimulation techniques to reprocess the memories, reducing their intensity and changing your experience of the memories going forward.
This process involves the client speaking about the distressing issue or event and bringing to mind a full sensory experience (what was seen, felt, heard, etc.), as well as any irrational beliefs attached to the issue. The therapist then incorporates bilateral stimulation while the client focuses on the disturbing material, noticing whatever comes to mind without trying to control the experience. Sets of stimulation are continued until the memory becomes less disturbing and the associated beliefs shift from negative to more accurate positive thoughts about one’s self.
During EMDR, clients may experience intense feelings, but by the end of processing most people observe a reduction in distress levels. The timeline varies greatly person to person and is dependent on life circumstances, the complexity of the trauma, and the individual’s history.
“Healing doesn’t mean the pain never existed, It means the damage no longer controls our lives.”
What are bilateral brain stimulation techniques?
In my practice, I use two types of stimulation techniques:
"Eye movements" - During this process the therapist moves 2 fingers back and forth across the client’s field of vision. The patient follows the left-to-right movements with their eyes.
“Tappers” - Tappers are held by the client, one in each hand. The tappers light up and vibrate on an alternating basis. The client can work with therapist to adjust the speed and intensity
That said, EMDR is not simply eye movements or bi-lateral stimulation, but rather a comprehensive treatment modality with detailed protocols to match your symptoms and experiences. It is based on the establishment of a trusting therapeutic relationship, in-depth history taking, and thoughtful treatment planning.
How does it work?…
Our brains are built to help us recover from stressful situations. In optimal circumstances, the brain takes painful memories and over time naturally reprocesses them, before storing them in our normal memory system. We know that this happens when we are able to reflect on a highly upsetting memory without becoming re-traumatized or overly distressed. We are able to recognize that the memory is in the past and that we are now safe, in the present.
That said, sometimes trauma or highly distressing events interfere with the brain’s natural process of storing information. This is where we run into that brick wall. In these instances, the amygdala signals the alarm and our brain interprets DANGER, however the part of the brain that analyzes and controls emotions is unable to fully activate. The brain becomes overwhelmed and communication between its different parts hits a standstill, unable to achieve normal processes of problem resolution.
In these instances, people often feel trapped in an endless “fight or flight” mode, a continual state of fear, anxiety, and stress. The past and present feel blurred, so there is an ongoing perception of threat, even when the danger is over. This leads to lower distress tolerance and a more difficult time managing emotions. The world can feel like a perpetually frightening place. This of course affects a person’s ability to trust.
This is where EMDR comes in. It supports the brain in resuming normal information processing so that the traumatic experience can be organically integrated into the normal memory system. Once this occurs, the individual regains a sense of grounding in the present. There is an understanding of the memory as being past-tense and the individual can reflect on the experience without reliving it. The word “trauma” is derived from the Greek word for “wound.” Wounds heal from the inside out, which is why EMDR targets the root cause of the distressing symptoms, enabling the body release the experience of trauma and heal the nervous system.
How do I know if EMDR is right for me?
EMDR is currently the most researched approach for treating PTSD. It stands on over 30 years of empirically validated research and is proven to be effective for the treatment of trauma and other life stressors. The results of EMDR are not only proven effective, but also long lasting. This means that clients engaging in EMDR have less chance of their symptoms returning in the future. EMDR has been successful in treating the following issues:
Post-traumatic stress and post-traumatic stress disorder
OCD
Dissociation
Adult and childhood trauma
Depression
Eating Disorders and negative body image
Panic attacks
Grief and loss
Experiences of abandonment
Experiences of divorce and relational difficulties
Anxiety, fears, and phobias
Life stressors
Addiction
It is important to remember that trauma comes in many forms and is defined by the emotional and psychological effects of an event on an individual versus the actual event in itself. This means that two people can (and often do) experience the exact same situation and one may develop a trauma response while the other may not. EMDR is now accepted as a treatment of choice by trauma organizations and mental health organizations around the world. EMDR has been approved as an effective treatment for PTSD by the respected American Psychological Association, American Psychiatric Association, The Department of Defense and the Veteran's Administration, The International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, The World Health Organization, and more.
