Heal from the Inside Out with EMDR Therapy
The brain is capable of incredible healing, let it do what it was designed to do. EMDR works for all ages.
What Is EMDR Therapy?
The goal of EMDR therapy is to reduce the level of distress and promote/create adaptive beliefs to support healing and thriving. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing. Francine Shapiro developed EMDR in 1987. Now, there is an abundance of published research and protocols. In the same way the body heals itself naturally, the mind can heal as well.
How EMDR Supports the Brain’s Natural Healing
When trauma and unprocessed memories impact functioning, life can be challenging, and the brain is blocked from healing. Much like REM (Rapid Eye Movement) during sleep, EMDR utilizes the same mechanism of bilateral stimulation of the brain. During an EMDR session, you are fully awake and in control. The brain works so beautifully to do the hard work for you by connecting what needs to heal along the trauma thread from the target (memory) of your choice. Throughout reprocessing, your brain will utilize emotions, body sensations, images/memories, and negative beliefs.
8 Phases of EMDR Therapy
There are 8 phases of EMDR. A skilled EMDR clinician will help prepare you for the EMDR experience by establishing trust and safety, develop EMDR resourcing (tools to regulate), and complete a history intake to assist with choosing a target that is safest for you.
1. History & Treatment Planning
Discuss the client’s past and develop a treatment plan with objectives. Treatment aims to process a client’s internal and external resources.
2. Preparation
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3. Assessment
Enable the client to reprocess disturbing memories, identifying target memory, negative and positive beliefs, emotion, and sensations. Establish the treatment target. Subjective Units of Distress (SUDs) and Validity of Cognition (VOC).
4. Desensitization
Begin eye movement, taps, or audio stimulation. SUDs are used to evaluate the client’s distress level. Stimulate the traumatic event. Focus on reaction, including thoughts, images, feelings, and sensations.
5. Installation
Strengthen a positive belief that will replace the original negative belief. VOC scale is used to rate how much the client feels the new belief is completely true.
6. Body Scan
The client is asked to hold in mind the target event and the positive belief and notice any lingering body tension. If any sensations arise, they are targeted with BLS to be processed. This step helps the body with healing.
7. Closure
A client is to return to a state of calm before ending a session whether or not the reprocessing is complete. Techniques are used to reestablish emotional equilibrium. Provide instructions for between-session support. Self-control techniques are used to maintain equilibrium. The therapist may use a technique called “container,” “safe place,” or “light stream” to temporarily calm all disturbances.
8. Reevaluation
At the beginning of each new session, therapist and client evaluate progress. If needed, previously processed events may be reassessed. New target memories may be chosen. Goals of treatment are determined.
Who Can Benefit from EMDR?
EMDR is the gold standard of treatment for all things trauma and emotional distress. EMDR doesn’t always need words, the body keeps the score. EMDR can be used with ALL ages, in various creative ways, and in conjunction with other modalities.
EMDR Helps treat:
- AAnxiety
- APanic Attacks
- ADepression & Negative Cognitions
- AComplicated Grief
- ASomatic Support or Pain
- APhobias
- AOCD
- ASleep Issues
- APerformance Anxiety
- ASelf Esteem Enhancement
Based on clinical approaches recognized by EMDRIA.
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