A Return to Health, Healing & Wholeness
What is EMDR?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, or EMDR, is a powerful psychotherapy technique which has been very successful in helping people who suffer from trauma, anxiety, panic, disturbing memories, post traumatic stress and many other emotional problems. Until recently, these conditions were difficult and time-consuming to treat.
EMDR is considered a breakthrough therapy because of its simplicity and the fact that it can bring quick and lasting relief for most types of emotional distress.
EMDR is the most effective and rapid method for healing PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) as shown by extensive scientific research studies.
The EMDR therapy uses bilateral stimulation, right/left eye movement, or tactile stimulation, which repeatedly activates the opposite sides of the brain, releasing emotional experiences that are “trapped” in the nervous system. This assists the neurophysiological system, the basis of the mind/body connection, to free itself of blockages and reconnect itself.
As troubling images and feelings are processed by the brain via the eye-movement patterns of EMDR, resolution of the issues and a more peaceful state are achieved.
EMDR is a powerful tool for catalyzing integration in an individual across several domains, including memory, narrative, state, and vertical and bilateral integration.
How is Attachment Focused EMDR Different?
With Dr. Laurel Parnell’s attachment-based modifications of the original EMDR approach, the structural foundations of this integrative framework are adapted to further catalyze integration for individuals who have experienced non-secure
attachment and developmental trauma.
Having been trained using Dr. Parnell’s attachment based modifications and protocol, I believe these adjustments make a difference in the way clients move beyond their traumatic pasts, towards health, healing and wholeness.
Populations Served with EMDR
Studies to date show a high degree of effectiveness with the following symptoms & conditions:
- loss or injury of a loved one
- accident or injury
- rape or assault
- robbery
- natural disaster
- illness
- witness to violence
- childhood abuse
- victims of violent crimes
- performance and test anxiety
- depression
- anxiety, panic and phobias
- childhood trauma
- physical and sexual abuse
- post traumatic stress
- overwhelming fears
- low self-esteem
- relationship problems
- brooding or worrying
- trouble sleeping
EMDR therapy is most effective when used in conjunction with other traditional methods of therapy in treating these and many other emotional disorders.
Benefits of EMDR Therapy
- Helps individuals revisit the past without becoming re-traumatized.
- Transforms traumatic memories into events that “happened into the past.”
- Provides rapid access to loosely associated memories.
- Places traumatic experience into a larger context or perspective.
- Allows individuals to observe their experiences – in a new way – without verbal give-and-take.
- Doesn’t require individuals to speak about or explain “intolerable events.”
- Allows individuals to stay fully focused on their ‘internal experience.’
- With PTSD memories remain stuck – split off – or undigested – as non-integrated sensations and feelings. EMDR changes this, and helps to integrate traumatic material.
- EMDR has the capacity to activate a series of seemingly unrelated sensations, emotions, images, and thoughts – in conjunction with the original memory – and reassemble them.
- After EMDR, individuals perceive their trauma as “a coherent event” from the past, instead of experiencing sensations and images without context.
- Traumatic memories becomes more distant, more manageable, and less immediate; which allows the trauma to become “a story” about something that happened a long time ago, versus something that is continuing to influence and infiltrate “current experiences.”
- With EMDR information can become integrated in the mind-body system – which helps restore an individuals sense of agency and joyful engagement with others and in their lives overall.
- Once people integrate their traumatic memories – they continue to improve in other areas of their life, their life force returns or emerges to help them create new possibilities for themselves.
- With EMDR therapy, trauma can become a story of something that happened a long time ago.
The Therapeutic Process
EMDR is a natural process. The client and the therapist become partners on a journey to help move traumatic and blocked energy. Together they work to transcend and free up the energy, so the individual can return to their natural grounded state of being. The goal of this work is to help the person heal, so they can return to their life in peace.
Is EMDR Right for Me?
There are a number factors to consider when evaluating the appropriateness of EMDR therapy for an individuals particular situation and history.
During your initial consultation, all of the relevant factors will be discussed in full, to help you come to a decision on whether to move forward with EMDR.
Please Call to Schedule a Consultation Appointment
I look forward to working with you!