Have you thought about trying EMDR, but have been afraid to do it because you don’t know what to expect? Here i describe the EMDR process and what you can expect. EMDR is useful for many conditions such as anxiety, depression, and substance use. However, it is largely used to treat trauma.
EMDR stands for eye movement desensitization reprocessing. It doesn’t always have to involve eye movements, though. In fact, those with a seizure disorder cannot have EMDR using eye movements. The aim is bilateral movement. In addition to eye movements, this could come in the form of tapping or sounds. EMDR may sound like a strange form of therapy, but it has actually been proven very effective for relieving trauma symptoms in individuals. The idea is to re-process the trauma while doing bilateral movements
You may be curious about how one re-processed trauma and why this may be beneficial. The idea is to think about the trauma while completing the bilateral movements. Each time the bilateral movements stop, the therapist will ask you what you are noticing. Typically, a thought, image or memory may arise in the mind which you will share with your therapist and the two of you will talk through it together. This is helpful because while the trauma was happening you likely did not have a trained individual there to help you through it.
EMDR is helpful for childhood trauma as well as more recent trauma. The first step is essentially making a timeline of the trauma. Whether you had several traumas you want to process or just one, the EMDR therapist will help you develop this timeline which is also known as a “target sequence plan.” The therapist will target one trauma at a time until they are resolved.
You may wonder how this is all measured. This is measured through a scaling question known as subjective unit of distress (SUD). Prior and during EMDR the therapist will ask you, “when you think about this traumatic event, how disturbing is it on a scale of 0–10. The goal is to get that number down to a 0 or 1, or as low as it will go.
Sometimes, it can take several sessions of EMDR for a single trauma and sometimes people find great relief after just one sessions of EMDR. The thing to keep in mind is that EMDR usually works much faster than traditional talk therapy, especially for treating trauma. Furthermore, receiving a type of EMDR immediately following a trauma can prevent Post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
There is another noteworthy goal of EMDR. Following trauma, humans often develop what is known as core negative beliefs. For example, if you were verbally abused as a child you may have developed a belief of “I am not lovable.” If you were sexually assaulted you may have developed the belief “I am not safe.” With EMDR, another goal is to install a new belief to replace the old one. One such new belief commonly used is, “i can control what i can and survive regardless.” Your therapist will work with you to find a new, more empowering belief system that is right for you.
To understand more about EMDR and see demonstration, just watch this video:
Grow Your Own Way Therapy 