How Does EMDR Work?
Over recent years, EMDR (eye-movement desensitization and reprocessing) therapy has gained traction and popularity. It's become a popular treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder(PTSD.)
Most people understand trauma through the lens of abuse(domestic, sexual, or emotional) and those who served in the military. However, anyone, for whatever reason, can experience trauma.
This evidence-based treatment method has been proven dramatically effective for reducing the emotional charge of past traumatic events.
Throughout this article, I will discuss what EMDR treatment is and how it could benefit you or someone you know
What Can EMDR Help With?
While EMDR was originally founded to help those who are experiencing PTSD, it has since been found to be extremely beneficial to help someone through a variety of issues, such as:
Anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety, phobias, social, anxiety, or panic disorder
Depression disorders, including major, persistent, and/or illness-related depression
Eating disorders, including bulimia, binge eating or anorexia
Dissociative disorders, such as dissociative identity disorder or amnesia
Obsessive-compulsive disorders, including generalized OCD, hoarding disorders, or body dysmorphia
What Are The Goals of EMDR?
In general, the goal with EMDR is to help someone heal from the past or get to the root cause of symptoms. It focuses on helping the client to heal by reducing the impact of negative emotions and experiences. The goal is not to erase the traumatic memory but rather, to lessen the impact it has on your everyday life.
How does EMDR therapy work?
It involves eight different phases that typically occur over multiple sessions.
Gathering patient history and other relevant information. This will be key to your healthcare provider's determination of whether EMDR is appropriate. It also involves discussing the events you want to focus on with therapy.
Education and preparation. In this step, your therapist will help explain EMDR sessions, and what you can anticipate within them.
Assessment. Your healthcare provider helps you determine what themes in memories you want to work on during EMDR.
Re-processing and desensitization. This is when your healthcare provider will activate the memory you’re focusing on. You will identify one or more specific negative thoughts, feelings, body, sensations, or even images during the re-processing stage they will help you realize how you’re feeling a new thoughts or opinions you may have about what you’re currently experiencing
Installation. In this phase, you’re focused on being positive about the belief you’re trying to build while processing the memory.
Body scan. Here, you’re going to going to focus on how you f. This will mainly be any symptoms you might feel as you’re thinking about the experience of the negative memory.
Closure and stabilization. This is where you’ll talk with your healthcare provider about what you’ll expect between sessions they’ll talk to you about how to handle and process negative thoughts between sessions.
Reevaluation and continuing care. During this step, you’ll talk to your healthcare provider about your progress and how you’re currently feeling. This is when you’ll determine if you need additional sessions and they will help you explore feelings you may have in the future they will also help you figure out how you would like to handle things when they occur because you know I understand more about your past trauma
If you are interested in learning more about EMDR therapy and whether it is the right fit for you, don't hesitate to reach out to learn more about EMDR therapy.