What Is EMDR?

Over recent years, there has been an increasing awareness of the subject of mental health. As a society, we’re gaining a better understanding of the impact trauma and negative experiences can have on all aspects of life, from mental to physical health.

Experiences like military combat, abuse, neglect, and loss can all lead to distressing memories that wreak havoc on our daily functioning. Since the world around us isn’t slowing down on this front, the demand for treatment options continues to grow.

One method that has been gaining popularity, but also has evidence to support its method, is Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR for short.

What Is EMDR?

EMDR is a therapeutic approach originally developed in the 1980s as a treatment method for PTSD. Dr. Francine Shapiro, the EMDR founder, more or less stumbled upon the idea while out on a walk. By realizing that the movement of her eyes helped to alleviate distressing thoughts, she developed the treatment.

It revolves around the idea that traumatic memories become stuck in the brain. When they’re not processed effectively, they start to cause psychological issues. The basis of EMDR is to help these stuck memories reprocess appropriately so they no longer disrupt well-being.

How Does EMDR Work?

A unique feature of EMDR is the incorporation of bilateral stimulation. This stimulation is meant to mimic what naturally occurs during the REM sleep cycle (REM is Rapid Eye Movement that happens when you are profoundly asleep. It is also the stage when dreams happen). Bilateral stimulation offers a simulated opportunity to process information, reframe negative thoughts, and release the hold memories have.

EMDR is not a traditional talk therapy where you dive into how you feel about a situation and look for the causes of symptoms. Instead, it follows eight phases that target a chosen memory. Please note the process is not always so linear and you might need more time in one phase than another. Clients with complex-PTSD generally start with phase 2 to strengthen their coping skills.

The Eight Phases

• Phase 1 involves building rapport with your therapist and going over your history. Information will be gathered in detail to identify the memories to target and reprocess.

• Phase 2 is your introduction to the process. You’ll be prepped on what to expect in the upcoming phases and introduced to coping strategies to manage the emotional distress that might arise during and in-between sessions.

• Phase 3 is where you choose your intended target memory and establish baseline information for the beliefs and emotions tied to this target memory.

• Phase 4 is the desensitization phase, where the bilateral stimulation begins.

• Phase 5 involves replacing negative beliefs with positive ones.

• Phases 6 and 7 will end the session, completing a body scan to check for residual tension and reaching a point of closure where you feel calm and ready to leave the treatment area.

• Phase 8 is a reevaluation and typically occurs at the start of the next session.

Benefits of Treatment

While having origins with PTSD treatment, EMDR has been found to have success with an array of conditions. These include anxiety, depression, phobias, panic disorders, grief, chronic pain, and substance use.

EMDR is a great option if you’re not fully comfortable opening up about your trauma. This approach is more gentle and won’t force conversations that you aren't ready to have compared to traditional talk therapy. You may find this a more welcoming and safe environment when exploring therapy.

Unlike traditional talk therapies, EMDR directly targets the root cause rather than teaching how to manage symptoms. It works with the brain to tap into a natural healing route.

Finally, it has a faster track to longer-lasting results. For many people, fewer sessions are needed to see noticeable improvements.

How to Get Started

When it comes to the different therapists and therapy techniques, there is no right or wrong answer. Whether you’re searching for trauma therapy or professional support for another mental health condition, you have options. You may have to do a bit of exploring to see what is the best fit for you.

If EMDR therapy has piqued your interest, visit our EMDR page here to see if this could be an option worth exploring or use our contact information to get started.

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