EMDR Therapy

There are many theories as to why EMDR is effective. Some who have done research say it synchronizes the two hemispheres of the brain. Others say it produces relaxation or distraction from the anxiety-producing memory.

It’s theorized that the back and forth movement of the eyes helps the brain reprocess painful events in such a way that the person begins to have a new, less “charged” experience of them. Some who have experienced EMDR say it calms and soothes the body during the recollection of past traumas and that takes some of the edge off them, called desensitization.

The eye movements in EMDR are thought to be similar to the Rapid Eye Movements, or REM, in the dream stage of sleep, which is thought to help people cope with upsetting incidents.

“We believe that EMDR induces a fundamental change in brain circuitry similar to what happens in REM sleep, that allows the person undergoing treatment to more effectively process and incorporate traumatic memories into general association networks in the brain,” said Robert Stickgold of Harvard Medical School. “This helps the individual integrate and understand the memories within the larger context of his or her life experience.”

EMDR helps to move the storage of that memory to a more functional part of the brain that can experience the event as actually being in the past. It is important to know that there is a real physical change happening with EMDR. The events that used to trigger the brain into over-reaction no longer have that effect. The person can now react to the present without the past interfering.

EMDR is different than traditional talk therapy. It can feel safer since you don’t have to talk about the details of the disturbing event.

One benefit of EMDR is that clients do not have to continually talk about the past and the traumatic event. In fact, talking gets in the way of accessing the right side of the brain, so your therapist will only ask that you think of what’s happening with minimal talking. This is particularly beneficial for client’s who value their privacy or feel a lot of shame about what happened. EMDR is a gentle and effective way to heal the hurt and help you live a life free of disturbing thoughts and feelings weighing you down.

EMDR can help you process distressing memories so you no longer get triggered. It can help you feel more calm and empowered in your life!

We can help you heal from the distressing events in your life.

Hear what people are saying about their EMDR experience- “Healing Trauma”.

EMDR- Frequently Asked Questions

I am afraid EMDR will retraumatize me? Is that true?

No, EMDR will not retraumatize you, but that is a common concern and we understand that you don’t want to relive the details of the distressing event. EMDR is a safe, gentle, and effective therapy that has been used to treat clients with a range of concerns including PTSD, sexual and emotional abuse, anxiety, depression, and more. During EMDR, your therapist will guide you through a process designed to access the right side of your brain where the distressing thoughts and feelings are stored. One benefit of EMDR is that clients do not have to continually talk about the past and the traumatic event. In fact, talking gets in the way of accessing the right side of the brain, so your therapist will only ask that you think of what’s happening with minimal talking. 

What is the process?

EMDR is an eight phase treatment method that your trained therapist will adhere to. The initial phase is gathering a history of the distressing event(s) bringing you in for counseling. You will complete some assessment scales which will help your therapist assessing your readiness and if EMDR is right for you. The second phase is client preparation in which your therapist gives you some tools to help you resource and ground yourself to help you maintain stability between and during sessions. He or she will also explain how the bilateral movements work. The third phase is assessment in which you and the therapist will jointly identify the target memory you will use. In the fourth phase, the bilateral movements will be used which is also called desensitization. This is when the disturbing event is processed and to help change the trauma-related sensory experience and increase a more positive feeling.

Do I have to share the details of what I experienced? It feels too personal. I have a lot of shame about what happened.

With EMDR, you do not have to share all the details of what happened aloud with your therapist for this therapy to be effective. EMDR therapy allows you to maintain some privacy, not possible with traditional talk therapy, but still allows you to reprocess and heal those unwanted thoughts and feelings and replace them with more positive and beneficial beliefs. It is especially beneficial in helping to treat the shame connected with the disturbing events.

Want to see what a sample session is like?

Check out this video to see.