EMDR
What is EMDR Therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy is an integrative psychotherapy approach that has been extensively researched and proven effective for the treatment of trauma. EMDR is a set of standardized protocols that incorporates elements from different treatment approaches.
How does EMDR work?
EMDR therapy is an integrative psychotherapy method that uses a technique called bilateral stimulation to repeatedly activate opposite sides of the brain. Therapists often use eye movements to facilitate bilateral stimulation. These eye movements mimic the period of sleep referred to as rapid eye movement or REM sleep, and this portion of sleep is frequently considered to be the time when the mind processes the recent events in the person’s life.
EMDR seems to help the brain reprocess the trapped memories in such a way that normal information processing is resumed. Therapists often use EMDR to help clients uncover and process beliefs that developed as the result of relational traumas, or childhood abuse and/or neglect. For a more detailed explanation please visit the EMDR Institute, Inc.
What does EMDR help?
EMDR had been originally established as helpful for PTSD, although it’s been proven useful for treatment in the following conditions:
Panic Attacks
Complicated Grief
Dissociative Orders
Disturbing Memories
Phobias
Pain Disorders
Performance Anxiety
Addictions
Stress Reduction
Sexual and/or Physical Abuse
Body Dysmorphic Disorders
Personality Disorders
How I use EMDR
EMDR has many applications, and I’ve received specialized training in several of these. These are the sorts of things I help clients process with EMDR:
Complex PTSD
Childhood trauma
Chronic, ongoing trauma
Identity-based trauma
Anxiety
Dissociation / numbness
Emotional dysregulation
Depression
Recent traumatic events
Emotional neglect and abuse
Domestic violence
Narcissistic abuse
Negative beliefs about yourself
Chronic pain
Grief
Any of the above issues for ages 8 and up. When using EMDR with children and teens, I have a number of developmentally appropriate tools to make it accessible and effective for their unique needs.