EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. It is a psychotherapy technique that was developed by psychologist Dr. Francine Shapiro in the late 1980s. EMDR is primarily used to help individuals who have experienced traumatic events and are struggling with the emotional and psychological effects of those experiences. As well, EMDR has also been used to treat other conditions such as anxiety disorders, phobias, and other trauma-related disorders.
The EMDR therapist will conduct a thorough assessment and develop an individualized treatment plan based on the client’s needs and goals. The process often includes a detailed history, assessment scales, psychoeducation, and enhancing grounding skills. Grounding skills, otherwise known as, resourcing is a key component of EMDR. Learning how to regulate and feel safe and sound in the moment is critical for EMDR processing. Therapists can spend anywhere from a few sessions to several sessions facilitating grounding techniques to prepare the client for trauma processing.
During an EMDR reprocessing, the therapist guides the client to focus on a traumatic memory or distressing event while simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation. This bilateral stimulation can be achieved through eye movements, tapping, or auditory tones. The purpose of the bilateral stimulation is to facilitate the processing of the traumatic memory by activating both sides of the brain. This process requires something called dual attention, the ability to be present while returning to the past memory.
The goal of EMDR is to help the individual reprocess the traumatic memory and reduce the associated distress and negative beliefs or emotions linked to that memory. Through the process of EMDR, the individual may experience a shift in their thoughts, feelings, and perceptions related to the traumatic event, leading to a decrease in emotional distress and an improvement in overall well-being.
EMDR has been recognized as an effective treatment approach for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). It’s important to note that EMDR should be administered by a
trained and licensed therapist who has expertise in this specific approach. EMDR treatment can be resolved anywhere from a few sessions to a few years depending how complex the person’s trauma is. A person with simple trauma can expect reduction in symptoms in a few sessions, and someone with complex trauma, depending on their therapeutic history, may require long term therapy.
Book an appointment with EMDR therapist contact Melissa Taylor: https://ancestralmemorytherapy.janeapp.com/locations/ancestral-memory-therapy/book#/staff_member/1
If you are an EMDR therapist requiring EMDR consultation, Melissa is accepting both group and individual consultations. https://ancestralmemorytherapy.janeapp.com/locations/ancestral-memory-therapy/book#/staff_member/1
