EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR is a powerful psychological treatment with good research support over the past three decades. Often disturbing events stay with us as intrusive memories, negative emotions, beliefs, and body sensations. This can have a lasting effect on how you see yourself, the world, and how you relate to other people. Disturbing events can be something you remember such as a car accident or assault, or events that you may not recall that may have happened when you were young. If the brain is not able to process information at the time of the event, it becomes stuck, and you may relive it through vivid memories that can include images, body sensations, and even smells. EMDR helps the brain to desensitise and reprocess memories so that they are no longer disturbing, and you develop new, more helpful ways of seeing yourself and the world.   

EMDR is an eight-phase treatment approach. The first two phases involve understanding your current symptoms, your history, developing a treatment plan, and leaning skills for stabilisation. Phases three to six involve processing targeted memories while using bilateral stimulation (BLS), such as eye movements or tapping. BLS helps activate the brain’s processing potential, allowing both sides of the brain to work together to reintegrate a memory in a way that that is more adaptive for your life now. Once the memory is no longer disturbing, we reinforce positive beliefs and check in with how the memory feels within your body. Phases seven and eight involve closing the therapy session so that you leave feeling calm, and then checking in at the following session to see how your mind and body have responded to the treatment.

EMDR is particularly effective at processing single incident traumas such as a car accident, natural disaster, or traumatic medical procedure. EMDR can be used in conjunction with other therapies depending upon a person’s needs. Modified protocols and combining EMDR with parts work, for example, can be very helpful in processing issues relating to childhood abuse or neglect. Having a skilled EMDR therapist who can assess how to combine therapies for your unique situation is essential.