EMDR for Trauma, Depression & Anxiety
Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR)
One event may impact us so deeply we fear we might never be the same, but not all trauma is obvious.
EMDR is an internationally recognized and evidenced-based therapy originated by Dr. Francine Shapiro in 1987 with extensive research having been completed since then to demonstrate its effectiveness. This therapy combines imagery, mindfulness, and cognitive techniques in a structured treatment plan which is designed to meet the client’s specific treatment needs.
EMDR therapy is often used in trauma counseling, in addition to the treatment of anxiety and a myriad of other issues.
The process of doing EMDR usually involves focusing on a traumatic or disturbing memory while utilizing bilateral eye movements, listening to alternating tones, and/or feeling alternating vibrations in your hands. This process enables the brain to resolve emotional trauma and gain insight into the circumstance in a way that is often more effective than traditional talk therapy.
While EMDR therapy is most often associated with PTSD treatment, it is a therapy that is tremendously valuable in the treatment of many issues, including depression, anxiety, panic, phobias and more. It is based on the Adaptive Information Processing model that, as the name implies, means that it is useful in helping people to process through information in an adaptive way.
Rather than trying to simply learn new behaviors and ignore the past or tell a traumatic story over and over again to become desensitized to it, EMDR therapy addresses old memories in a way that integrates old maladaptive cognitions and feelings into more adaptive cognitions and feelings. Doing so, changes not only the way one thinks about an event, but the way one perceives and feels about their life, circumstances, and future.
“The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places.”
~Hemingway
What can EMDR therapy mean for someone struggling with anxiety or depression?
- It can help to facilitate old trauma (large or small) processing.
- It can reduce undesirable feelings and responses to the triggers of the anxiety.
- It can help to improve the way one thinks, feels and behaves in stressful situations.
- It can help to improve an overall sense of well-being.
- It can improve feelings that sometimes cannot be articulated, and only felt.
- It can facilitate more internal peace and felt sense of security.
- It can improve overall feelings of self-worth and happiness.
In a nutshell, trauma and bad feelings resulting from old maladaptive beliefs can change through EMDR therapy.
EMDR therapy packs tremendous potential to change one’s internal dialogue and feelings and as a result, transform the dynamic of one’s relationships and quality of life. Negative beliefs that have been weighing one down can be processed effectively enabling one to feel lighter, more at peace and more connected with the world around them.
EMDR therapy can be tremendously transformative!