EMDR Therapy
What is EMDR Therapy?
When you experience a traumatic event, your brain cannot file the memory away properly and you feel like the experience is still happening long after it’s over. EMDR, which stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, is a form of treatment that can help you recover from traumatic stress. The approach eases your body’s reaction to trauma, allowing you to recall what happened to you without feeling overwhelmed. It helps your brain put the memory in its proper place so that you no longer feel stuck in the past.
Dr. Francine Shapiro founded EMDR therapy in 1987. It was initially used to treat PTSD in Vietnam war veterans. After successfully helping veterans heal from their traumatic memories, it has since been used to treat other forms of trauma like rejection, betrayal, abuse, neglect, and domestic violence.
How Effective is EMDR?
There is a vast array of research that testifies to EMDR’s power. Studies have found that about 84-to-90-percent of trauma survivors experience relief after just three sessions of EMDR therapy. The World Health Organization, The American Psychological Association and the Department of Defense all view EMDR as a successful way to treat trauma, anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
Why is EMDR so effective? Rather than merely try and alleviate symptoms, the approach gets to the core of traumatic stress. It doesn’t erase painful memories, but it eliminates the stressful reaction you feel when you remember them. What’s more, the great thing about EMDR is that it doesn’t require you to discuss your trauma in detail. This reduces the risk of re-traumatization that talk therapy carries with it. You can confront the past in a way that is safe and comfortable for you.
How Does EMDR Work?
In my practice, I use EMDR therapy to help clients with trauma, PTSD, anxiety, ADHD, and numerous other mental health stigmas. In particular, I have lots of experience working with combat veterans who suffer from PTSD. I’ve also worked extensively with people who experienced sexual abuse, struggle with addiction, and are dealing with grief and loss.
EMDR Can Help You Develop A Toolbox Of Grounding Skills?
In the beginning, I will meet with you for an extensive assessment to get to know you and understand your goals for treatment. Before launching into EMDR, you and I will create a grounding space for dealing with traumatic memories. We will work on calming strategies—such as meditation, deep breathing, or focusing on comforting figures in your life—that you can use when you feel overwhelmed. This way, when you are flooded with painful memories and sensations, you will have a toolbox of strategies to help you reduce the intensity of your emotions.
Using Bilateral Stimulation To Reprocess Negative Memories?
Once you have the grounding skills you need, you and I will begin the reprocessing stage of EMDR counseling. During this phase, you will perform gentle stimulation techniques—such as tapping or moving your eyes from side to side—while you recall traumatic memories. These activities stimulate the emotional side of your brain, allowing you to feel new sensations when you remember your trauma. In this way, your brain will integrate traumatic memories so that you feel confident in your choices moving forward in life.
The end-goal of EMDR therapy is to eliminate the automatic behavior patterns that trauma created. For instance, if you have ever been a victim of sexual assault, you’ve likely experienced fear and negative reactions to new relationships. The thought of intimacy may cause you to tense up, clench your jaw, or even dissociate. What EMDR does is help you reduce these negative reactions so that you feel safe again. It desensitizes disturbing memories and creates new pathways for the brain to process information. This can help you dispel the negative beliefs (e.g., “I am not worthy,” or, “I cannot find a loving and caring partner”) that your traumatic experience caused, instilling a new self-image that helps you feel more confident in your ability to form relationships. You can let go of old, unhealthy narratives and live by new ones, such as “I can trust my judgment” and “I am capable of giving and receiving love and happiness.”
Without EMDR, you may feel like something is still left over from your trauma, as if you’re continually reliving your experience. EMDR unlocks the brain’s capacity to heal itself so that you don’t feel like your trauma is still happening. It eliminates the emotional pain that is held deep within the body and allows you to move forward with peace and assurance.
My Experience with Psychotherapy and EMDR
I have over thirty years of experience studying psychotherapy and the behavioral sciences. My education has taught me to explore the relationship between the conscious and the unconscious and the patterns and dynamics of the mind. I graduated from Pacifica Graduate Institute with an emphasis in Depth Psychology and Mythological Studies, both of which have informed my understanding of the unconscious.
I received my EMDR training and certification through the EMDR Training Academy in Colorado Springs. Since then, the approach has been the core of my practice, helping trauma survivors overcome the pain of the past and embrace a brighter future. I want you to experience the same thing for yourself.
EMDR Can Help You Restore The Sense Of Safety That Trauma Took Away
If you want to put painful memories behind you and feel safe in your own skin again, I encourage you to connect with me. To get started, you can use the contact page to schedule a free 10-minute phone consultation. I look forward to working with you!
How is EMDR Therapy different from standard psychotherapy?
What can I expect in a typical EMDR Therapy session?
Are you ready to find out more? Dr. Sharon Allen is trained as a psychotherapist and in EMDR Therapy.
Call or email for a FREE consultation.