What is EMDR THERAPY?
EMDR therapy is a simple, subtle, yet highly impactful, treatment.
IT is an advanced mind-body approach for supporting the healing of anxiety, depression, treatment-resistant chronic pain, PTSD, and other symptoms of trauma.
The eyes are a window into the brain
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. EMDR is based on the understanding that when your gaze moves back and forth, your mind and subconscious connect with deep emotional experiences that are stored in your limbic system and continue to be experienced as traumatic. This allows your subconscious to begin to process these memories in such a way that you become increasingly desensitized to them, and can eventually put them in the past, where they belong.
What is EMDR Therapy used for?
EMDR can support positive changes with many issues. If you have ever felt stuck in your life, or find yourself repeating an undesired habit, EMDR may help you finally move forward. It has been used to help treat PTSD, chronic pain, panic attacks, undesired habits, depression, anxiety, performance challenges, sleeplessness, issues with anger, self-esteem problems, mental trauma, and many other emotional blocks that may be impacting your quality of life. EMDR can be used in conjunction with other forms of counselling.
The Science Behind EMDR
Studies show the efficacy of EMDR therapy for treating anxiety, trauma, and other issues. Many people report that it was the most beneficial therapy given for helping them manage their symptoms following a traumatic event.
EMDR focuses on healing from the most primitive parts of your brain first, followed by the emotional centres, then connects with the more cognitive or thinking parts of your mind, to help you understand these deeper feelings. Because pain and trauma are stored in the sensory, nonverbal areas of the brain, this style of therapy is uniquely helpful in the healing process. EMDR can help locate the root of where your symptoms are held and can support a deeper release when a connection is made. This is vital, as many trauma survivors may have subconsciously blocked the memories of very painful events, which means that talk therapy often cannot help them fully.
EMDR is one of two therapies that are approved for treating PTSD. It has a proven track record in helping people release that traumatic memory or set of memories and move on in their lives.
Benefits of EMDR May Include:
- Reduction of uncomfortable or painful symptoms
- Ability to put a traumatic event behind you
- Feeling more in control of your life
- Increased confidence
- Embracing feelings and learning how to better self-regulate
- Increased understanding and awareness of your body and emotions
What To Expect in an EMDR Session
When we have an EMDR session, we will first talk about how you can support yourself during treatment and between sessions. You will be given and taught a number of resources that you can use that are meant to help you deal with anything that may come up during this time. We always begin with resources so that you feel safe and supported.
Once you have resources, we will walk through what to expect during a processing session. Then review the specific issue you would like to work on. We will talk about this issue, and the situation surrounding it, and while we do so, you’ll be asked to be mindful of how you feel both physically and mentally.
From here, we will begin processing memories. During this time, you may experience reflex movements which are a good indicator that you are beginning to go towards a place of healing. These reflexive movements are deep within your brain, and something that will happen automatically.
At the end of the session, we will work together to make sure you feel ready to be out in the world again, and you should leave feeling calmer and more aware. Afterwards, you may find you continue to have fresh realizations and feelings, this is normal and usually is a gentle unfolding.
EMDR is endorsed by The American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, the U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence, the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs/Dept. of Defense, The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, and the World Health Organization among many other national and international organizations.
I also offer Brainspotting, which is a type of EMDR
My fee is $175 Canadian, including tax.
If you want to know more, Book a free 20-minute zoom consultation here.