EMDR: How Does It Work?
Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR) is a popular therapy often used to help treat the effects of trauma. However, EMDR can also be used to help with anxiety, depression, and a variety of other mental health issues.
EMDR is unlike many other forms of therapy. It doesn’t have a heavy focus on talking and opening up about your trauma. While some of that is required in order for your therapist to understand your history, EMDR focuses more on reprocessing the negative memories so you can move forward without letting them control your life.
Let’s take a closer look at EMDR, how it works, and how it can help you find freedom from negative memories.
The Stages of EMDR
EMDR goes through several stages as it helps you overcome negative thoughts, including those created by traumatic events.
The first stage is preparation. Your therapist will want to know as much as possible about your history, including any negative experiences you’ve been through. While EMDR isn’t necessarily a type of talk therapy, you will need to be as clear as possible about your past and your goals for the future.
From there, you’ll move into an assessment phase. In this phase, you and your therapist will pinpoint specific areas you’d like to focus on. These areas will become the targets for each of your sessions. It’s not always easy to bring up negative or frightening past events, but it’s a necessary step in overcoming them.
The desensitization and reprocessing phases involve rapid eye movements. Your therapist will guide your eyes to move back and forth while you focus on your target. This type of bilateral stimulation can cause you to become desensitized to the target, so you can refocus on it with a different perspective.
Installation of Positive Beliefs
EMDR doesn’t cause you to forget about the trauma you went through. But during the installation phase, you can replace your negative memories with positive beliefs. Once you’ve done that, your therapist will go through a body scan to determine if there are any other areas of tension that should be addressed.
EMDR is a short-term therapy. But it doesn’t “stop” just because your sessions are over. In addition to reprocessing your negative memories, your therapist can teach you effective skills and strategies to help keep you calm when negative thoughts creep in.
Why Is It Effective?
Why has EMDR become so popular? The process of bilateral stimulation works for almost anyone. It allows you to access specific memories in a unique way so you can focus on exactly what you need to without the distraction of other thoughts or memories. These target areas also make it easier for EMDR to work quickly because you’re addressing the root of the issue, rather than trying to look at a bigger picture.
Think of the reprocessing aspect of EMDR as a way to repair the injury of trauma. You’re not getting rid of it, but you’re allowing it to heal so you can move forward with your life without the lingering effects of negative memories holding you down.
It’s effective because not only does it heal what’s been damaged, but it creates new neural pathways that allow for happy, positive memories to take the place of those damaged areas. Instead of constantly dealing with the long-term symptoms of trauma, you can recognize that you had a traumatic experience in the past, but you’re able to let go of the damage it caused.
If you want to learn more about EMDR therapy and how it works, feel free to contact me. I’m happy to provide more information or help you set up an appointment soon.