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Why EMDR?

 

EMDR therapy is widely recognized as an effective and evidence-based treatment for a variety of conditions that stem from distressing or traumatic life experiences, including:

 

• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)

• Anxiety and panic attacks

• Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)

• Chronic Pain

• Depression

• Phobias

• Addiction

• Grief and loss

• Performance anxiety

• Low self-esteem

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What is EMDR therapy?

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EMDR is a powerful, evidence-based therapy designed to help you heal from the emotional and physical distress of trauma and other disturbing life experiences. It works by using a safe, structured process to help your brain reprocess traumatic memories that were improperly stored in your brain.

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Bilateral Stimulation

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Your EMDR therapist will help you focus on the distressing memory while also bilaterally stimulating your brain. You choose which form of bilateral stimulation is the most comfortable for you:

 

• Side-to-side eye movements using a lightbar

• Gentle tapping of your hands

• Alternating vibrations using small pulsers

 

By guiding you through bilateral stimulation while you focus on a distressing memory, EMDR helps heal the memory so that it won’t bother you anymore.

 

The Eight Phases of EMDR

 

EMDR is an eight-phase treatment protocol:

 

Phase 1: History and treatment planning

We will discuss your history and symptoms and develop a treatment plan.

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Phase 2: Preparation

You learn grounding and self-soothing techniques to use in between sessions.

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Phase 3: Assessment

We identify the specific memories and negative beliefs that need to be desensitized and reprocessed.

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Phase 4: Desensitization

Using bilateral stimulation, we desensitize the memory until it is no longer distressing.

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Phase 5: Installation

We strengthening a positive belief about yourself and your life experience.

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Phase 6: Body scan

This step ensures all of the physical discomfort in your body related to the memory is resolved.

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Phase 7: Closure

Each session ends with relaxation techniques to ensure you feel calm and grounded.

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Phase 8: Reevaluation

We review and measure your progress at the start of each session so we know therapy is working.​​

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EMDR Benefits

 

• Faster, lasting results: Clients typically experience relief much sooner with EMDR than with some other forms of therapy. Clients also notice that EMDR doesn’t have the risk of relapse that is common with other therapies.

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• Less talking required: Unlike other therapies, you don’t need to discuss the traumatic event in detail. If the memory is too hard to talk about, EMDR can still be an effective treatment option for you.

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• Empowering and transformative: EMDR helps reprocess painful events so you can feel empowered and move forward with your life.

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• Mind and body integration: EMDR therapy helps release the emotional and physical tension that trauma can store in the body. This includes nightmares, migraines, chronic fatigue, acid reflux, and irritable bowel syndrome.

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What can I expect in an EMDR session?

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Your sessions will last between 60 and 90 minutes. During the processing part of EMDR, you will remain fully in control and awake. Your therapist will be there to support and guide you, intervening as little as possible. The goal is to permanently heal the lingering effects of the past so that you can fully enjoy your life again.

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Taking the next step

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Choosing to heal is a sign of strength. Call or text today for your free 15-minute consultation with an EMDR therapist! ​

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