What is EMDR?
EMDR therapy is a transformational trauma therapy that allows clients to heal from trauma, let go of guilt and shame, and finally feel better. EMDR therapy has been researched extensively and shown to accomplish three main goals: to neutralize emotional reactions to traumatic memories, to deconstruct internalized negative beliefs, and to reduce overall mental health symptoms.
Research shows that EMDR works more effectively and more quickly than other forms of therapy, accomplishing greater mental health improvements in fewer sessions.
What’s the process?
EMDR follows an 8-stage protocol, with phases 1 & 2 focused on preparation, skill-building, and identifying goals, and phases 3-8 focus on reprocessing memories identified in the earlier phases. In the reprocessing phases, EMDR combines grounding movement to keep the client’s body in the present while inviting clients to think about a traumatic memory.
We walk through each phase together – the clinician serves as a guide and facilitator, working with the client to establish safety and comfort in the early stages and pacing the therapy for each individual client. In this way, EMDR is both structured and also fully tailored to fit each unique person.
What does EMDR mean?
“EMDR” stands for “Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing,” named by Dr. Francine Shapiro when she developed the original protocol in the 1980s. The first part of the name can be misleading. Dr. Shapiro and the first EMDR therapists utilized side-to-side eye movement, but research has shown that many forms of bilateral stimulation can work. In my work, my go-to choice is tapping, where I invite the client to self-tap side-to-side on their legs or upper arms.
The second part of the name, “desensitization and reprocessing,” describes how the brain moves through thoughts and emotions, making new connections with other thoughts, memories, and feelings. After a target memory is “complete,” the memory has lost its emotional weight and has some new, more neutral meaning.
Still have questions?
Discussing EMDR therapy is part of the therapeutic process, as is processing any feelings or worries that come up as we move through the preparation phases. All that is required to schedule your first session is a willingness to show up and a desire to improve your mental health.
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Below is a short list of resources about EMDR that I have used to help clients learn about and understand the possible impact of EMDR:
Ready to incorporate EMDR into your therapy goals? Book a session with me!
