EYE-MOVEMENT DESENSITIZATION & REPROCESSING (EMDR)
EMDR is an evidenced-based psychotherapy intervention that helps clients heal from trauma, abusive relationships, insecure attachment, chronic pain, anxiety, & more in significantly less time than with traditional talk therapy.
EMDR is based on the Adaptive Information Processing (AIP) model; a theory developed by Dr. Francine Shapiro after she serendipitously discovered bilateral stimulation, the mechanism behind EMDR, in 1987. The theory explains how the brain processes and connect memories which informs the protocol for guiding EMDR sessions.
Why Does it Work?
Researchers aren’t entirely sure why, but, the brain doesn’t always process and “file away” traumatic experiences the way it does other memories. Traumatic memories are sometimes stored dysfunctionally or “frozen in time” along with their emotional charge, sensory components, fears, and even correlating negative self-beliefs.
To remedy this, EMDR uses bilateral stimulation or BLS, such as eye-movements, rhythmic tones, or gentle tapping to “turn on” the brain’s natural memory-processing abilities, allowing the traumatic experience to be reprocessed, desensitized and effectively filed away, resulting in an adaptive resolved state. Clients report feeling an immediate difference when this adaptive state is achieved, sharing that the painful emotions and negative beliefs associated with the memory have been replaced with validation and acceptance.
What to Expect
In my office, you’ll engage in EMDR by following a moving light back and forth with your eyes, listening to alternating audio tones through headphones or holding a small device delivering rhythmic vibrations. For virtual sessions, you’ll be linked to a secure, interactive website, where you’ll track a ball moving across a calming background or listening to soothing alternating sound effects.
For clients with chronic-PTSD or dysfunctional relationships in their past we’ll use Attachment-Focused EMDR. I’ll guide you through the process using the butterfly hug, which is self-tapping bilateral stimulation. AF-EMDR is unique because it helps heal your attachment system by integrating a selection of pleasant sensations and supportive qualities from healthy relationships and your own creativity and imagination. See the FAQ page for more info about AF-EMDR.
How Long Does it Take?
EMDR is an accelerated method that produces lasting results in significantly less time than talk therapy alone. The traditional EMDR process follows an 8-phase protocol, and resembles regular ole’ therapy in the beginning two phases, which can last anywhere from a few days to several months. Phases one and two involve exploring your personal history, developing a treatment plan tailored to your specific needs, and preparing you for reprocessing memories. Phases 3-8 are typically moved through in one to two sessions and include reprocessing and desensitization of your chosen target memory followed by closing with guided imagery or grounding so you leave feeling centered and calm.
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