What Is EMDR & How Can It Help With Trauma
*this post will include amazon-affiliated purchasing links as well as links to free resources
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Therapy is a specialized form of therapy that uses bilateral stimulation (often through eye movement) to reduce the intensity of the emotions connected to a trauma memory and the vividness of that trauma memory. It’s a clinically validated form of therapy to treat PTSD, Trauma, and Anxiety with continuing supportive research for its effectiveness with depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and chronic pain.
Bilateral stimulation is a technique that creates a rhythmic stimulation between your left and right hemispheres of your brain, causing them to communicate. In EMDR, the stimulation is used to engage your hippocampus (learning and memory), amygdala (regulates emotions and encodes memories), and prefrontal cortex (responsible for executive control and keeping you oriented to your current timeline) to get them to communicate in that moment. When this is done during a session, a target memory is picked for these 3 areas to begin to reprocess that memory and its associated memories. This is an action that often occurs during sleep, but bilateral stimulation allows the brain to naturally begin to reprocess the memory in a setting that the client feels comfortable in and in control of while they maintain a dual-awareness of the memory and the present settings (the therapist’s office) that they are in. The therapist is able to help keep them from dissociating into a flashback.
Many people choose EMDR because of the comforts it allows when dealing with traumatic memories that, when triggered, can cause an individual to feel like they are re-living them physically, sensorially, and emotionally. EMDR can also be done with a lot less talking about one’s traumatic experience or less description of the details of their trauma than traditional trauma therapies. Instead, EMDR is stimulating the brain’s natural healing process as the client visualizes their experiences that are connected to that negative life event. Engaging in this reprocessing allows the memories to be recoded with a less intense neurochemical (emotional) response when the client thinks of the memory in the future. The client’s rating of their distress while thinking about that memory is recorded before and after each session that includes bilateral stimulation until it has been effectively treated.
It is important to note that bilateral stimulation is not started until a Safety and Stabilization phase is completed. This is when a client is able to be in an emotionally safe and stable state. They are taught the tools to help cope with their stress response, reduce dissociation and reliance on substances, and are able to build rapport and trust with their therapist so they feel comfortable moving forward with their trauma work.
So, what would EMDR actually look like and how can you start it? Well first, EMDR is a specialized form of psychotherapy, so you want to make sure you are specifically seeking an EMDR-trained therapist if you are wanting to engage in this type of treatment. EMDR-trained and certified therapists have been extensively trained, follow structured scripts, have specific methods they use during treatment, and are allowed to purchase EMDR equipment.
Bilateral stimulation techniques can include the common rapid finger movements as seen above, equipment such as a light bar that uses visual stimulation, or tappers that vibrate and pulse on and off in each hand to create bilateral stimulation.
After the safety and stabilization phase a ‘target’ memory will be chosen by the client and therapist to begin working on with bilateral stimulation. That memory is worked through until the client reports no longer feeling distress from it. Negative cognitions are also identified, reduced, and then replaced with positive cognitions. Sessions are ended with exercises to help contain and reduce any emotional responses of the client’s work in that session.
EMDR can often be done with children as well through modified formats depending on their age, that could include a form of play therapy (or re-enactment of the event) while using tappers. Children’s brains develop from the right hemisphere first, so use of play and art therapy with the bilateral stimulation can part of that process.
rice and sandtray therapy
As an EMDR therapist I have noticed that while many of my clients report feeling lighter and happier after each of their bilateral stimulation sessions it can also be slightly physically tiring in the beginning, so we often plan those sessions on days with lower demands on them mentally or physically when able. One of the most rewarding parts of my job is watching someone regain control of their life and their happiness and EMDR therapy is one of the way’s I’ve been able to repeatedly witness that happen. It has been a life-line for those intimidated by traditional talk therapy (which is also highly effective) and has provided those lost in PTSD a clear path forward again. Some studies have shown EMDR to have a 77% treatment rate for PTSD.
If this is a form of therapy that you are interested in, contact an EMDR-trained therapist.
Free sites like www.psychologytoday.com can allow you to look up therapists and psychiatrists in your area based on their specializations, your needs, and accepted insurance.
More information on Trauma and PTSD can be found on my pinterest link.
Below are resources for other EMDR-trained therapists as well as books with more information about Trauma and EMDR for those looking to pursue training.
