The Healing Power of EMDR: A Breakthrough Therapy
Trauma, anxiety, and other distressing psychological and emotional experiences tend to have lingering effects on us. Even years or decades after a traumatic event, our body might still respond to certain triggers or hinder our lives in some way. Therapy is the best tool for managing these effects, but there are certain techniques that therapists use to increase the effectiveness of traditional talk therapy.
Experts have developed a new technique in recent years to continue bridging the gap between the mind and the body and alleviate the physical symptoms of traumatic experiences. Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a therapeutic approach that has transformed the way people heal from trauma, providing relief from emotional wounds that seemed to never even scab over, much less heal.
What is EMDR?
Francine Shapiro first started developing the technique in the late 1980s. While going for a walk, she recalled distressing memories and noticed that when her eyes moved certain ways, her distress lessened significantly. After further experimentation, she noticed that other people had the same response to various eye movements. However, she noted that movement alone was not enough for clients to overcome difficult memories and the emotions associated with them. After numerous case studies, she determined that a cognitive component (such as talk therapy) combined with the eye movements did such tremendous work for individuals working through trauma. Since then, EMDR has evolved into a well-recognized and extensively researched therapeutic method for treating trauma-related disorders.
The underlying concept of EMDR is based on the idea that distressing memories, particularly those related to traumatic experiences, can become "stuck" in the brain's processing system. These memories can trigger intense emotional and physiological reactions, often leading to symptoms such as anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). EMDR aims to unblock this processing system, allowing the mind to heal itself.
What are the benefits of EMDR?
There are several reasons why a scheduled EMDR session is beneficial! First of all, the entire process is extremely efficient. Many people report significant improvements in just a few sessions, making EMDR a relatively short-term therapy compared to traditional talk therapies. Of course, that doesn’t mean healing happens overnight with EMDR. It just means that you’re able to discover much more about yourself much more quickly.
Another benefit is that EMDR is a holistic approach to therapy. The method addresses not only the cognitive aspects of trauma but also the emotional and physiological components, providing a more comprehensive healing process. The body often remembers much more than the mind, and EMDR is a process that allows the mind and body to reconnect with one another, alleviating any difficult physical symptoms of your trauma.
Most importantly, EMDR has lasting effects. Because of the cognitive, emotional, and physiological approach, you are able to make permanent changes to the way you think and perceive the world. You are altering the way you respond to traumatic memories, and this leads to much more sustainable improvements in your mental health.
Overall, EMDR is a powerful therapy that offers hope and healing to individuals struggling with trauma, anxiety, and other distressing psychological experiences. Meeting with one of our therapists and requesting this method of therapy could very well be the next significant step in your own journey. If traditional talk therapy has never been effective, or if you don’t like the idea of talking everything out, EMDR is the perfect solution for you. This is your chance to reconnect to yourself, and we would be honored to be part of that process.
How do I schedule an appointment?
We would love to set you up with one of our therapists. Please fill out an inquiry form, and we will reach out to you for more information and set you up with an appointment.
