EMDR Therapy

What is EMDR?

Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a type of psychotherapy that addresses the core cause of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The treatment minimizes negative thoughts and behavior patterns by treating trauma-induced PTSD.

How is EMDR Done?

An EMDR therapist will encourage the individual to reflect on traumatic memories and describe the emotions and body sensations associated with these recollections.

Bilateral Stimulation (BLS) is a key component of EMDR used to unravel traumatic experiences safely and comfortably. This element of EMDR treatment uses breathing exercises and body tapping to stimulate electrical activity and communication between the two brain hemispheres. Doing so calms the mind and body while discussing specific traumatic events, working to remove the adverse reactions and impact.

Is EMDR only for Trauma?

While the main focus of EMDR is to reduce the symptoms of PTSD and the impact of the memories that brought it on, this isn’t its only purpose. EMDR is an effective treatment for various mental health problems and disorders. It can help you identify the co-occurring symptoms, causes, and triggers of mental illness and learn healthy coping mechanisms and positive belief affirmations. 

Because of its nature as a type of talk therapy, EMDR is also a great outlet to allow you to share what’s on your mind and get professional feedback.

What Kind of Problems Can EMDR Treat?

• PTSD
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Bi-Polar and Mood Disorders
• Impulse and Addiction
• Eating Disorders
• Personality Disorders
• Low Self-Esteem
• Insecurity at Home or Work

How does EMDR release trauma?

EMDR is used to access past events that were the cause of trauma. By capturing these memories, you can begin to reprocess them in a safe environment. You’ll work on repairing the harm caused by the events and overcoming triggers and barriers it has caused in your life.

What are the 8 steps of EMDR?

History taking

In the first phase of EMDR, the treatment is planned based heavily on the client’s history. The clinician wants to understand the causes of dysfunctional behaviors and which events are causing traumatic reactions. In this way, they can better develop a treatment plan suitable for the client.

client preparation

EMDR requires a solid level of trust between the clinician and the client. After all, the client will be exposing difficult past memories, requiring vulnerability. During the second phase, the clinician will develop a therapeutic relationship with the client. They’ll teach them self-control techniques and how to remain stable during and in between sessions.

assessment

Working together, the clinician and the client will use the third phase of EMDR to identify the target memory for each session. The clinician will instruct the client on how to identify flawed thinking associated with past memories, including negative thoughts and irrationality. These are replaced with positive beliefs that challenge the client’s negative emotional experience.

Desensitization

The fourth phase, desensitization, prompts the client to relive their past memories while engaging in eye movements. During this time, the clinician will pay close attention to new and emerging ways of thinking, sensations, feelings, and images. These indicators can show how the therapy has changed the client’s ways of thinking and whether the techniques used have been helpful.

Installation

As the name suggests, the clinician uses phase five to install positive thoughts in place of negative ones. By strengthening these, the client may see a reduction in trauma reactions or false thinking associated with past events.

Body scan

In the sixth phase, the clinician will encourage the client to get a body scan. This process will reveal if any somatic responses tied to the traumatic events still exist. In the case that somatic responses are still present from trauma, the clinician will continue to work with the client and target these specific body sensations.

Closure

This vital stage allows clients to process the emotions and memories that were addressed during the duration of treatment. EMDR can fully envelop a person’s attention and mind while walking through past traumas. It’s important that a client returns to a state of equilibrium at the end of the session. The clinician wants to ensure the client is grounded and stable before leaving the office.

Reevaluation of treatment

The final stage of EMDR, the reevaluation of treatment, reviews the client’s progress, the effectiveness of treatment, and which goals were met. The clinician can use this stage to identify what’s working, any alterations that need to be made to treatment, and how to best support the client.

Does EMDR work for anxiety?

EMDR isn’t just for treating trauma. Many people with traumatic experiences will have additional symptoms such as depression and anxiety. You also don’t need to have traumatic past events to struggle with anxiety. EMDR can work for anxiety by identifying its underlying causes and triggers. By doing so, the clinician can work with the client to begin letting go of these anxiety-inducing memories and building up coping mechanisms.

Choose soul surgery’s integrative emdr program

The effectiveness of EMDR ultimately comes down to the effort you put into it. We can provide our committed therapists, treatment programs, and luxury facilities, but without your dedication, you won’t see change; you must commit to the process.

Whether you’re struggling with PTSD, addiction, etc., we’re here for you. 

Please reach out to us today with any questions you have about our programs.