A Brief Guide to EMDR & How It Can Help Heal Trauma

Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing was founded in 1987 and originally was designed for treating Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). EMDR is an evidence based practice with shown positive results and it has been increasingly popular in treating trauma, phobias, avoidance and more.

So what is it?

Our lives are filled with events that can be scary, dreadful, daunting and emotionally damaging. EMDR works by using bi-lateral stimulation to re-process these lived events. A trained therapist will utilize eye movements or another form of dual attention as the client follows along with their eyes or in another somantic way such as tapping their shoulders. This dual attention will allow the client to solely focus on the discussed memory or target problem and process emotions, thoughts and body sensations that were once stuck. Events in our life become “stuck” because at the time of the event happening we were too young or it was too difficult to face and process. Bi-lateral stimulation causes REM (rapid eye movement) which helps the client have new perspective on a once feared memory.

EMDR can also support clients in working through future events and present disturbances. Each clinician has their own creative approach to EMDR and EMDR has been studied to be effective in various ways for clients, your EMDR clinician may engage in different methods than mentioned in this article.

Who can do practice EMDR?

Your therapist should be EMDR trained from an EMDRIA approved trainer. To start a search click here: https://www.emdria.org/find-an-emdr-therapist/

What can I expect?

Your therapist will get to know you first. After your therapist learns your history, present life symptoms, supports, coping skills and any other important information they will work with you to create a list of events that stick out to you as feeling traumatic and or identify the present concerns that will be processed in EMDR. The therapist will begin the 8 phase protocol and will will start processing typically from the youngest memory (however sometimes this can vary) from there each memory will be worked on and processed. The therapist will focus on a single memory with you until the memory becomes less disturbing to think back on.

How long does it take?

Everyones processing time in therapy looks different. Some folks come in with years of events to process and others just a few. Your therapist will work with you to identify the targets and will support your processing at your pace. There is no “correct” time-line to this kind of work. The therapist will check in at following sessions to determine if the processed memory is still bringing up disturbances in the client.

What Exactly Does EMDR treat?

EMDR focuses on events that have impacted a clients daily life functioning and has resulted in PTSD like symptoms. As research studies shows the client will be able to remember the negative memories with minimized distress post EMDR sessions. This also helps in the side effects of PTSD such as anxiety, depression, flashbacks and more. EMDR isn’t only used for bad past memories but also: addiction, eating disorders, performance anxiety, avoidance, personality disorders, stress and more.