What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is the most well-researched method ever utilized in the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress. It focuses on specific, disturbing experiences that were not adequately processed, causing distress and painful symptoms. EMDR goes beyond merely changing the emotion associated with the memory by processing and altering how the traumatic memory is stored in the brain.
In an EMDR session, a therapist helps you confront a traumatic memory while incorporating bilateral (left-right) eye movement and other forms of rhythmic stimulation. Over time, this process can help desensitize you to the painful memory, change your feelings towards the event, and give you power to cope in the future.
Read: 10 Signs You’re Living With Unresolved Trauma & How To Evict It
What can EMDR therapy help?
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) and trauma
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Panic attacks and panic disorder
- Phobias and fears
- Physical and sexual abuse
- Low self-esteem
- Illness and injury
- Addiction
What happens in EMDR therapy?
Therapy typically takes six to twelve sessions, though processing a specific memory may take as few as one to three sessions or more than twelve. Your therapist will take you through these eight phases:
Phase 1: History taking and Treatment Planning
First, you’ll share your history with your therapist. You may discuss some painful memories in the past, current stressors, and/or goals. Your therapist will formulate a treatment plan for you based on your symptoms and needs.
Phase 2: Preparation
Your therapist will familiarize you with EMDR and your treatment plan. You’ll also learn some self-soothing exercises for dealing with any uncomfortable feelings that may arise during treatment.
Phase 3: Assessment
EMDR therapy focuses on a single memory at a time. You’ll create a mental picture of the event, identify the negative belief associated with that moment, and report any emerging emotions or physical sensations.
For example, you might see an image of yourself as a child sitting alone at a school lunch table. This formative event might have created a false belief that you’ll always be alone in the world. You might feel discomfort in your stomach thinking about it. Your therapist may ask you to rate the disturbance associated with this emotion and any physical pain.
Next, you’ll associate a positive belief about yourself and rate how true it feels to you. Following the previous example, you might want to believe you are now supported by people who love you, but low self-esteem grounded in these problematic memories may prevent you from really believing it.
But don’t worry. That’s about to change.
Phase 4: Desensitization
In Phases 4-7, you’ll break negative associations with the memory and form positive beliefs about it. While focusing on the memory, your therapist will guide you in eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation (BLS).
The goal of Phase 4 is to desensitize you to the traumatic memory. You’ll share your emerging thoughts while engaging in brief sets of BLS until you’re no longer distressed by the target memory.
Phase 5: Installation
After removing negative associations, you’ll install the positive belief selected in Phase 3 through further BLS (eye movement) sets.
Phase 6: Body Scan
It’s time to revisit the once triggering memory. You’ll observe your physical response and may be asked to rate any pain to compare to your initial observation. In the case of residual distress, your therapist will take you through more stimulation sets until it’s resolved.
Phase 7: Closure
That’s it! You’ll review positive steps made in this session with your therapist and discuss tools to maintain your progress until the next session. Some tailored homework may be assigned for you, such as utilizing custom self-help techniques or journaling to track your progress.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
The next time you see your therapist, they will assess your mental and emotional state to determine whether the treatment is working and if any adjustments are needed. If any memories have emerged since the previous session, share them with your therapist. Together, you’ll identify a target memory for the current session, a negative belief to challenge, and a positive one to replace it with.
What are the benefits of EMDR therapy?
After a successful EMDR session, you will find that you no longer relive the sounds, feelings, and images when you think back to the event. You will remember what happened, but with freedom from the anguish and anxiety that used to hold you back.
In addition to alleviating PTSD symptoms, here are a few other reasons why EMDR is great:
- It works fast. 84-90% of EMDR patients across multiple studies felt positive results within the first three sessions.
- Less talking is required than in many other treatments, which is helpful when verbalizing your feelings doesn’t come easy.
- Stress relief can lead to other benefits, like healthier skin, sleep, or eating habits.
- Chronic pains may dissipate thanks to EMDR’s relaxing effects on the brain.
- You’ll feel better about yourself after restructuring those self-esteem-distorting memories.
Is EMDR therapy right for me?
If you want relief from your past, the stress of today, and anxiety about the future, EMDR could be the right solution for you. Talk to a therapist who specializes in EMDR therapy to find out if you’d benefit from this form of treatment.
Our EMDR specialists at Austin Anxiety and Trauma Specialists offer online counseling to all residents of Texas (virtual EMDR can be just as effective!). Schedule your first session with us today to get started on your healing journey.
It can get better. We can help.
