Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Have you heard of EMDR?
It’s a renowned therapeutic approach developed by Francine Sharpiro in the 1980s… as she was walking and thinking about discomforting thoughts!
Three decades later, there’s now an international community of EMDR therapists.
EMDR is now known as one of the leading modalities in treating trauma, depression, and anxiety… just to name a few.
Are you ready to finally feel at peace with your memories…
… and experience comfort and content when you recall the memory?
Are you ready to feel the pain of the memory one last time in a supportive and healing setting to not feel it for the rest of your life?
Are you struggling with trauma, depression, or anxiety and are tired of feeling the pain associated with it?
If you answered yes to any of the above, then you are the ideal candidate for EMDR Therapy.
Individuals who best benefit from EMDR are individuals who struggle with trauma, depression, and anxiety, and who are ready (in a supportive and healing environment) to feel the discomfort one last time to not feel it for the rest of their life.
After all, we cannot heal what we do not feel.
But what exactly is EMDR?
Have you ever watched a person sleep? If you have, you may have noticed that the person’s eyes move rapidly from side to side while they are deep in sleep. You may have heard of this… it’s called “Rapid Eye Movement,” or REM sleep.
During REM sleep, your mind is processing your emotional memories – discarding what no longer serves you and absorbing the ones that do. Yup, you got it… your dreams are related to you re-processing your emotional memories.
During her walk, Dr. Shapiro sparked on a new concept…
We are able to mimic REM sleep while awake and use our conscious mind to reprocess our emotional memories, replacing them in our long-term memory bank.
But it is much more than that.
Our memories are also linked to each other in memory networks, so our current behaviors and emotions are linked to previous memories associated with similar behaviors and emotions.
Through EMDR, we’ll reprocess these memories on the network.
This will help you desensitize the emotions attached to these memories. This is important, because it’s the intensity of these emotions that tethers us to the memories, either subconsciously or consciously.
These emotional memories are the culprit of the symptoms you currently feel.
EMDR will allow me to access your memory network that is influencing your symptoms and desensitize the emotions at the source.
After the reprocessing, you will notice that when you think of the memory, your feelings will be desensitized. Some of my clients even report that part of the memory appears to be fading away.
“This is great! So how long will this take?”
That’s the best part! EMDR is so quick and effective that some clients report relief within the first session! Seriously… that fast!
However, don’t be surprised if EMDR requires more sessions. After all, you are a complex individual with a complex memory network, and your symptoms may be rooted in more than one of those networks. Or, sometimes activation of one of the memories on the network will activate other memories on the same network, requiring reprocessing of those memories to treat the symptoms.
“What will I expect in an EMDR session?”
The first session starts out like a typical session; completing intake paperwork, and discussing your symptoms and goals in depth. But, unlike the typical session, you will also learn about EMDR and I will begin identifying memories that may be connected to your symptoms. I will also identify the type of bilateral stimulation that is most suitable for you.
In the sessions that follow, I will ask you particular questions about one of your memories, and I will implement the bilateral stimulation to help you reprocess the memory. This process may take a day… or it might take a few sessions.
Once we reprocess the memory, we will install a thought where you feel more empowered and more in control. After this, we will explore another memory on the network or identify a new memory network that needs reprocessing. We’ll work this way until your symptoms have been reduced.
“Can I do EMDR infrequently?”
It’s best that, once you start, you continue until the memory has been completely reprocessed. Infrequent sessions lead to incomplete reprocessing, and this risks the chances of symptoms returning or worsening.
It is recommended that you commit to at least 8 EMDR sessions, then re-evaluate with your therapist to determine if further sessions are needed. Who knows? You may complete your reprocessing in fewer sessions.
Don’t you deserve optimal mental health?
EMDR is a great technique to help you reduce your symptoms – and in less time than typical talk therapy.
EMDR may be a new concept for you, and it is natural for you to feel resistant to trying something new. But like Einstein said, “Insanity is repeating the same thing and expecting different results each time.”
Try a new solution to the same old problems and receive different results.
Between 84-90% of those who participate in EMDR world-wide have experienced positive results; over 90% of my clients who participate in EMDR have experienced positive results toward their goals.
Don’t worry; if EMDR is not the best treatment approach for you, we can always change modalities without any setback in your goals. It’s a win-win solution.
Call today to schedule your EMDR session: (321) 333-4158
Are you still curious about how EMDR can help you before committing to it? Follow the link here
https://youtu.be/Pkfln-ZtWeY to learn a bit more.