EMDR
Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing
EMDR (Eye Motion Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a scientifically-proven therapeutic technique to help the body heal from trauma. When a person experiences a traumatic event, often the body and mind do not know how to properly digest or react to the information, causing the nervous system to freeze in that state for a long period of time. The body is stuck in a hyperaware, dissociated state to avoid and protect from the overwhelming stress.
EMDR addresses trauma through a combination of cognitive techniques, exposure, and grounding bilateral stimulation. The goal is to allow the body to finish processing traumatic experiences and to place the past in the past. Bilateral stimulation involves focusing one’s eyes on a light moving from side to side, bilateral sounds or vibrations in the hands. EMDR allows for tapping into the innate capacity for self-healing, recovery, and working through painful memories in an effective way to develop healthier coping strategies for dealing with them.
EMDR at Mind Body Seven
EMDR involves several steps which can vary depending on the practitioner but at Mind Body Seven, we generally include establishing safety protocols with the patient (such as grounding techniques) before beginning treatment, assessing target issues that need attention, identifying targets of distress (negative beliefs), creating positive alternatives, stimulating eye movement while recalling distressing images or thoughts, evaluating progress after each set of stimuli, and termination of EMDR session once goals have been reached.
Is it right for you?
When determining whether EMDR therapy may be the right treatment for someone, it's important to consider several factors. EMDR has been studied extensively in clinical settings and research studies have found that EMDR can be highly effective in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety disorders, phobias, depression, chronic pain, grief reactions, and addictions. EMDR can also be used as an adjunct treatment when combined with other forms of psychotherapy or medication management.
When considering EMDR therapy as a potential treatment option for yourself or someone else, it’s important to work with an experienced EMDR clinician who has extensive experience working with clients dealing with a variety of issues. Our EMDR clinicians at Mind Body Seven, have extensive knowledge about psychological trauma as well as the appropriate assessment tools and treatments for addressing traumatic events or experiences. Ours trained EMDR clinicians can provide an initial assessment to determine if EMDR is appropriate for you by conducting an evaluation of the presenting problem(s) and exploring what sort of modalities might be beneficial.
Before beginning EMDR treatment, your clinician may recommend pre-treatment stabilization strategies, such as breathwork exercises or mindfulness meditation techniques to prepare you for processing distressing memories or emotions during the EMDR session itself. These techniques can help create a sense of safety during EMDR sessions by allowing patients to control their own pace while still maintaining focus during eye movement exercises. In addition to these pre-treatment practices, your EMDR clinician may also provide education on how the eye movements work so that you feel better informed and prepared before beginning each session.
It’s important to remember that EMDR is not intended to replace traditional therapies such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or psychodynamic psychotherapy; rather they are designed to supplement existing therapeutic approaches when needed. As such, patients may potentially benefit from combinations of treatments depending on their unique needs and goals for recovery. However, this should always be discussed with their therapist prior to selecting a course of action. Ultimately though, if you think that EMDR could be beneficial for helping you address current challenges or overcome past traumas, then it’s worth talking about further with your mental health professional in order to decide if it’s right for you! Consider making a consultation today!