What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a powerful, evidence-based psychotherapy approach designed to help individuals heal from traumatic experiences, distressing memories, and emotional challenges. Unlike traditional talk therapy, EMDR focuses on reprocessing painful memories through guided eye movements or other forms of bilateral stimulation. This helps the brain to "reorganize" the way it stores traumatic memories, reducing their emotional charge and making them easier to manage.
How does EMDR work?
Simultaneously engaging in bilateral stimulation, often in the form of following the therapist's hand movements with their eyes. This dual attention process is believed to help the brainreprocess traumatic memories, making them less emotionally charged and more adaptable.During an EMDR session, clients are guided by the therapist to recalldistressing memories while
EMDR is particularly effective for treating:
- Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Phobias
- Other mental health concerns related to unresolved trauma
Why Choose EMDR?
During sessions, the therapist will guide you through recalling specific memories while following visual or auditory cues. As your brain processes the memories, it promotes emotional healing, allowing you to move forward with greater resilience and inner peace.
This therapy is safe, structured, and customizable to fit your unique needs, offering a path toward lasting recoveryand emotional well-being. Whether you’re dealing with recent trauma or longstanding emotional wounds, EMDR can help you break free from the past and regain control of your life.
Let's get back on the horse!
When I was 14, I visited my aunt and uncle's home and enjoyed a ride on my aunt’s horse. The horse was spooked and ran against a fence, knocking me off.As soon as I landed on the ground, my father said, “When you get thrown off a horse, you get right back on.” He helped me return to the horse and had me sit on her for about 20 seconds. He told me it was a phrase he had heard long ago and had always applied to his life.
I had heard this phrase before, but neither he nor I understood the impact this phrase has on people’s lives. I always thought it was merely a saying that represents “Don’t let life get you down.” It wasn’t until I was in EMDR training that I understood what was happening during those 20 seconds.
I learned that trauma occurs in three stages: the beginning(the horse was spooked), the climax (I fell off), and the end (I was on the ground). By getting back on the horse, my brain could process what had happened and recognize that the horse didn’t present any danger. This immediate action helped prevent the traumatic memory from becoming deeply ingrained.
In EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)therapy, we focus on helping individuals process traumatic events so they can be integrated into the person’s life narrative without causing distress. The process involves recalling a traumatic memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements, which helps the brain reprocess the memory.
My father’s instinctive advice to get back on the horse acted as a form of immediate exposure therapy. By returning to the horse quickly, I was able to complete the trauma cycle. The end of the event shifted from me being on the ground, feeling scared and vulnerable, to me being back on the horse, feeling a sense of control and safety. This quick resolution helped prevent the trauma from becoming stuck in my nervous system.
This experience illustrates the importance of promptly addressing traumatic events and how simple actions can profoundly affect our mental health. The principle of facing fears rather than avoiding them is central to many therapeutic approaches, including EMDR. By confronting the source of fear in a safe and controlled manner, we can help our brains process the event and reduce the long-term impact of trauma, even years later.
Consultation is free.
If you are ready to heal and move beyond your trauma or debilitating pain, please contact me for a free 15-minute phone consultation.