Exploring the Benefits of EMDR Therapy
As a therapist who is committed to helping my clients attain a sense of inner peace, I am always looking for new, effective approaches for achieving well being. This is why I chose to become trained in EMDR therapy. EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
Compared to other therapy methods, EMDR is relatively new. However, this technique has shown that the mind is capable of healing from psychological trauma in the same way the body can recover from physical trauma. Known primarily for treating PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), studies have shown its effectiveness in treating many other conditions.
How does EMDR therapy work?
EMDR is a psychotherapy used to help people heal from symptoms and emotional distress caused by disturbing or traumatic experiences. Focusing on three time periods — the past, the present, and the future — the client is able to reprocess and repair their memories.
Utilizing eye movements and guided instructions, accessing these memories in a particular way can impact your recollection of the negative event itself. This paves the way for healing from that memory, making the related feelings significantly more manageable and allowing the individual to recall the situation without the intense pain of having to relive it.
An overview of the EMDR therapy process.
Initially, you will share your concerns, allowing the therapist to help you better understand and manage the issues you’ve identified. From there, your therapist will outline a treatment plan for accomplishing your goals. This is where the EMDR sessions begin.
A series of questions will be asked in order to access the negative experience, bringing the desired adaptive resolution to the forefront. Utilizing sets of rapid eye movement, you will be encouraged to allow the brain to process and work through the experience. In between sets of rapid eye movement, brief descriptions of what you are feeling will be documented. You will continue with the EMDR processing treatments until the past experience becomes a transformed, present perspective.
Once the traumatic experience(s) has been reconditioned, you and your therapist will discuss the ways you can apply the new knowledge and perspectives into your everyday life, allowing for healing that lasts. The amount of sessions it takes to get the desired results varies based on the individual client, the trauma they experienced and how long they’ve been dealing with trying to overcome it.
Reasons to use EMDR therapy.
For those who aren’t looking to have lengthy, detailed conversations about the difficult experience itself, EMDR therapy is a great option. It focuses more on changing the emotions, thoughts and behaviors that are associated with an event or situation.
Although EMDR therapy hasn’t been around for as long as other forms of therapy, dozens of clinical trials, research studies and academic papers have validated its effectiveness. It has official approval from the World Health Organization (WHO) and government organizations and agencies in the United Kingdom, Australia, Germany, and more. Healthcare professionals across the globe use EMDR therapy and millions of people have been successfully treated because of it.
Is EMDR therapy right for me?
Although, PTSD is the most common condition treated with EMDR therapy, there are many other struggles this process can help patients to overcome. You should consider looking into EMDR therapy if you are working to overcome any of the following:
Anxiety disorders
Depression disorders
Dissociative disorders
Eating disorders
Gender dysphoria
Obsessive-compulsive disorders
Personality disorders
Trauma disorders
As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) with over 15 years of experience in the mental health field, I am here to help you prove all you are capable of overcoming. Whether it’s with EMDR therapy or another one of the effective therapy approaches I provide, we will lift that weight off your shoulders so you can live life to the fullest. Let’s connect.
