What is EMDR Therapy?
EMDR Therapy, or Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing therapy, is a body-based, trauma therapy, developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro, that is an evidence based treatment for reprocessing traumatic or distress experiences, memories, sensations, and beliefs.
How does EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy work?
Do you ever feel stuck with a painful emotion or somatic sensation, or find yourself stuck in a negative belief about yourself that you know rationally is not true? E.g. I’m not good enough.
EMDR therapy is designed to help you get unstuck by utilizing the brain’s natural healing process to build a bridge between past troubling experiences and your adaptive memories.
EMDR uses bilateral stimulation, like alternating eye movements or tapping both sides of the body to help you process and update troubling experiences. These alternating movements mimic what occurs during sleep when we alternate between regular sleep and the REM (rapid eye movements) sleep cycle.
What to expect in an EMDR Session:
In an EMDR session, we will first focus on identifying a troubling experience and a corresponding negative belief related to this event, e.g. There is something wrong with me. We will also notice any corresponding images, emotions, and sensations in your body. Then we will identify a positive belief that you would like to believe about yourself, e.g. I am okay as I am.
To begin processing, Your counselor will ask you to think about the troubling experience and begin your preferred form of bilateral stimulation. You will be encouraged to “free associate” and allow the brain to work through the experience. You may become emotional, notice a sensation in your body, or some other change in the experience/ memory may occur.
With repeated sets of bilateral stimulation, the experience/memory tends to become less painful in intensity until it is simply a neutral memory. Other associated memories may also heal at the same time. This linking of related memories can lead to rapid improvement in many aspects of your life.
Is EMDR like hypnosis?
During EMDR treatment, you will remain in control, fully alert and wide-awake. This is not a form of hypnosis and you can stop the process at any time.
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