What does EMDR stand for?
EMDR is an acronym for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing.
What is EMDR used for?
EMDR is a psychotherapy treatment method most commonly used for clients experiencing distress from a traumatic experience/s. This therapy modality was designed to alleviate those feelings and symptoms of distress that are associated with traumatic memories. Picture it like this, if you were to have a splinter in your toe, your toe would not heal until you pulled the splinter out. However, once the piece of wood is removed, your body would be able to begin its healing process. EMDR works similarly, but for your brain. This treatment helps an individual work through what is blocking their emotional processing system from healing and “remove it.” Essentially, EMDR aids the accessing and processing of traumatic memories so that an adaptive solution can be made. This process typically looks like reframing negative beliefs, reducing physiological arousal, and decreasing suffering.
How does it work?
Similarly to other therapy methods, in session, the client addresses what is causing them emotional distress. However, unlike traditional talk therapy, while the client is doing this, they are focusing on an external stimulus. Specifically, for this external stimulus, the therapist will direct the client to use lateral (sideways) eye movements or hand-tapping. This works by processing trauma with both hemispheres of the brain stimulated simultaneously. The idea behind this mechanism is that the client’s left side of the brain is currently being blocked from self-soothing, hence the bilateral stimulation assists them in bypassing this area of the brain where the trauma is stuck. This technique facilitates the accessing of the traumatic memory to strengthen the brain's ability to form new associations between the traumatic memory and more resilient memories.
What does an EMDR session look like?
EMDR treatment is typically divided into eight phases:
1. History-taking sessions are used to assess the client’s readiness, develop a treatment plan, and identify possible targets for EMDR.
2. Ensuring the client has several ways to handle emotional distress.
3-6. Identifying a target and processing it using EMDR therapy procedures.
7. Logging any related material that may arise outside of the session to determine closure.
8. Examining progress.
Each session lasts approximately one hour. After the initial session where the therapist and client focus on the client's history, they move on to the Rapid Eye Movement portion of the treatment, which is where the client will begin to focus on their trauma, their memories associated with it, and most notably identifying the beliefs they hold about themselves and the traumatic event. Next, the therapist will aid the client in formulating a positive belief to replace the negative beliefs they have previously associated with themselves and the event. This process occurs while the client is focused on the external stimulus and continues until the client is no longer significantly distressed by the memories, which is the goal of the treatment.
Who could benefit from EMDR?
Individuals of all ages who have experienced a distressing event or a series of accumulated negative experiences could benefit from EMDR therapy. While this modality was initially designed and used for treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, mental health care providers are expanding its usage for other conditions, such as panic disorder, phobias, and anxiety disorders. If you think you or a loved one could benefit from EMDR therapy, consider reaching out to an EMDR-trained therapist for treatment options.