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EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) is a scientifically proven, successful treatment for anxiety, depression, trauma, abuse, neglect, and phobias. Effective results that have provided lasting wellness for thousands of people. In 2004, the Department of Veteran Affairs and the Department of Defense determined that it was the most effective treatment available for trauma and its effectiveness continues to be validated by ongoing research. Read more about the effectiveness of EMDR therapy according to the research HERE.
Many people who have suffered from traumatic experiences often feel like their past has become their present reality and they may have a sense that “everything changed” for them when they experienced trauma. The science behind EMDR is that in your mind exists a collection of thoughts, memories, experiences, and beliefs that make you who you are. The brain has the ability to store your life experiences adaptively and network these experiences together so that similar memories and experiences are connected to one another. But when a traumatic experience occurs, it overwhelms the brain’s ability to store and network memories appropriately and can make a person feel stuck in their past through their emotions and sensations. EMDR provides a separation from this constant connection between past and present and helps people who have endured trauma to feel more grounded in their present circumstances.
EMDR was created to help people release the emotional distress caused by traumatic experiences that are stored in their memory networks. When someone experiences a traumatic or distressing event, the brain is designed to process that experience adaptively—to keep you safe and help you to cope, heal, and even learn from the experience. However, at times our experiences are so distressing that they overwhelm our brain’s ability to process it adaptively and the memory of that experience can get stuck in our memory network. The memory becomes a wound in the brain that has not had the opportunity to heal properly. Just like when our body is wounded or injured, we naturally become sensitive to whatever part of us is hurt, the brain also becomes highly sensitive to anything that triggers the wound; alternatively, the brain can also “hide” this memory in our memory networks to protect you from being hurt by it, but because it has not gone through the natural healing process, the brain has not received the message that the danger is truly over. The experience still has a negative impact on how you see yourself and the world.
When this happens, we may experience distressing symptoms associated with diagnoses like PTSD or we may experience a shift in sensitivity in our emotions and senses or a change in our perspective on life. In EMDR therapy, people can process the negative beliefs associated with those memories so that the memory can become part of the brain’s adaptive processing networks and no longer has the power of those events on the psyche.
In therapy, the EMDR protocol will help the therapist and client to examine past experiences that set the stage for unwanted symptoms (i.e, anxiety or depression); evaluate the current situation that triggers the unwanted response, and then focus on the desired positive experiences and self-concept that will shape future behavior. Unlike talk therapies for trauma, in EMDR, the client does not have to talk in detail about the distressing event because the focus of treatment is on the sensations and emotions associated with the event and not necessarily the details of the event itself. This is a huge relief to many people who have suffered from extensive trauma because it can be very difficult to talk extensively about these things.
What should I expect in EDMR therapy?
The EMDR therapy protocol involves 8 phases of treatment. Much of the beginning of therapy will include a lot of history-taking and developing a high level of comfort and safety with your therapist. Early sessions will also focus on building strong resources for your internal regulation and you will learn and practice several relaxation and grounding exercises. These exercises will be helpful throughout your therapy but are also valuable tools to help cope with everyday stress and anxiety. The more you practice these exercises, the better they will work for you and the easier it will be for you to calm down in stressful situations. The next phase of EMDR is about identifying the memories that have led to distress or dysfunction and your therapist will walk you through some mind-based exercises to help understand what memories have caused harm. Once these memories are identified you will work with your therapist to reprocess these memories by utilizing bilateral stimulation. The therapist will also work with you to replace the negative beliefs about yourself that are associated with the trauma with more truthful and grounded beliefs about yourself.
What is Bilateral Stimulation?
The word bilateral means “affecting both sides.” Bilateral stimulation is the repeated and rhythmic crossing of the midline to both the right and left sides of the body to stimulate the right and left hemispheres of the brain. This can be done by rhythmically tapping your arms or legs on both sides of your body or, as the name of this therapy suggests, rapidly moving your eyes back and forth by following your therapist’s finger with your eyes. The science behind the use of bilateral stimulation is that by crossing the midline repeatedly to both sides of the brain (right and left hemispheres), we tire the brain’s processing ability and also connect the right and left hemispheres of the brain and this decreases the distress associated with the traumatic memory. Also, bilateral stimulation mimics what you naturally and automatically do during the REM (Rapid Eye Movement) cycle of sleep, which your brain naturally uses to process the information it has received during the day and restore itself for the next day. Bilateral Stimulation or BLS as you may hear your therapist call it is NOT hypnosis. You will NOT go into a trance or become out of control at all—you will be fully aware of your surroundings and have all of your normal capabilities throughout EMDR therapy.
Is EMDR appropriate for Christian clients?
Yes! EMDR is a very effective tool for clients who want Christian Counseling in their experience of therapy. We understand as Christians the importance of allowing ourselves to be “transformed by the renewal of our mind” (Romans 12:2). If we hold onto negative beliefs about ourselves, the world, and even God because of the bad things that have happened to us, we can feel stuck in a cycle of shame and sadness. EMDR is a tool to help you let go of these toxic beliefs and find the truth of God’s love and grace again despite the bad things that have happened. You can read more HERE and HERE about the use of EMDR for Christian Counseling.