Trauma / EMDR

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is a well-researched, evidence-based practice (EBP), that aims to help people recover from trauma and other distressing life experiences, including PTSD, anxiety, depression, and panic disorders.  

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EMDR therapy is different than typical "talk therapy" and does not require you to explain the distressing issue in detail.  EMDR therapy involves identifying triggering memories and noticing the evolution of thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations associated with that experience.  In spending time with the triggering memory, and engaging in bilateral stimulation through eye movements, tapping, or sound stimulation, researchers theorize that the brain is able to rewire its memory of the experience, enabling the brain to resume its natural healing process.  

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This is a widely used form of treatment and there are many publically available studies and resources available online.  For more information, you can visit the EMDRIA website at https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy? and can read a study on the subject at: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3951033/. 

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The EMDR process is broken down into eight different phases.

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Phase 1: History and treatment planning
I will first review your history and we will work together to assess whether you are good candidate for EMDR. This evaluation phase takes 1-2 sessions and includes talking briefly about your trauma and identifying potential traumatic memories that you would like to process.

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Phase 2: Preparation
We will then work together to help you learn several different ways to cope with the emotional or psychological stress you are experiencing.  This typically involves a "calm and safe space" visualization, and may also include other stress management techniques such as deep breathing and mindfulness. This phase typically lasts anywhere between 1-3 sessions as you learn to increase your tolerance for dealing with difficult material.

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Phase 3: Assessment
During the third phase of EMDR treatment, we will decide upon the specific memories you would like to target.  We will identify the physical sensations, emotions, and beliefs that are stimulated when you concentrate on your first target memory.  1-2 sessions.

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Phases 4-7: Treatment
We will then begin using EMDR therapy techniques to treat the targeted memories you have chosen. During these sessions, you will be asked to focus on a negative thought, memory, or image.  I will simultaneously invite you to engage in bilateral stimulation that may include eye movements, tapping, or sound stimulation.   Following this, you will briefly describe the thoughts and feelings you’re having in that moment. We will continue to repeat this process as your mind works with the material it uncovers with each "set" of bilateral stimulation.  If you become distressed, we will help bring you back to the present before moving on to another traumatic memory. Often, the distress over particular thoughts, images, or memories start to fade as your brain processes the difficult memory.  This phase of therapy varies in length depending on the number and intensity of the memories you would like to process.

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Phase 8: Evaluation
In the final phase, you’ll be asked to evaluate your progress after these sessions.