Integrative Therapy

EMDR Therapy

What is EMDR?
EMDR stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (it’s kind of a mouth full but, don’t worry, you don’t need to memorize clinical jargon). Ultimately, EMDR is a highly effective and structured form of mental health therapy. It consists of 8 phases which encourage the client to briefly focus on the trauma memory (we call them “targets”) while simultaneously utilizing bilateral stimulation.

What the heck is bilateral stimulation?
Bilateral stimulation is a rhythmic stimulation (left to right and back again pattern). This stimulus can be visual, tactile, or auditory. For example, visual bilateral stimulation could involve watching a hand or a light device moving back and forth. Tactile bilateral stimulation is when you alternative tapping sensations like tapping on one knee and then the other. Furthermore, Auditory bilateral stimulation could involve listening to tones that alternate between the left and right sides of the head. Essentially, the bilateral stimulation stimulates both hemispheres of the brain which is a key component in the recovery and alleviation of post-traumatic stress symptoms. Bilateral stimulation is associated with a reduction in the vividness and emotion associated with traumatic memories.

Okay, I understand bilateral stimulation but how does the rest of it work?
Most individuals wonder what actually occurs in a typical EMDR session. There are eight phases of treatment and the initial one focuses on taking a thorough client history followed by a preparation stage. In the Rapid Eye Movement portion, the client focuses on a troubling memory and identifies the belief he has about himself connected to this negative memory (for example, in dealing with rape, the person may believe “I am dirty”). The individual then formulates a positive belief that he would like to have about himself (“I am a worthwhile and good person in control of my life.”). All the physical sensations and emotions that accompany the memory are identified. The individual then goes over the memory while focusing on an external stimulus that creates bilateral (side to side) eye movement. This is most often achieved by watching the therapist moving a finger or operating a light bar. After each set of bilateral movements, the individual is asked how they feel. This process continues until the memory has a significantly reduced level of emotional disturbance.
The individual is processing the trauma with both hemispheres of the brain stimulated. The chosen positive belief is then installed, via bilateral movement, to replace the negative one. Each session normally lasts for about one hour. It is believed that EMDR works because the “bilateral stimulation” by-passes the area of the brain that has become stuck due to the trauma and is preventing the left side of the brain from self-soothing the right side of the brain.
During this procedure, clients tend to “reprocess” the memory in a way that leads to a peaceful resolution. This often results in increased insight regarding both previously disturbing events and long-held negative thoughts about the self that have grown out of the original traumatic event. For example, an assault victim may come to realize that they were not to blame for what happened, they are now safe, that the event is really over, and, as a result, they can regain a general sense of safety in their world.

Where can I review the research and can it be used for other things?
”EMDR therapy is an extensively researched, effective psychotherapy method proven to help people recover from trauma and PTSD symptoms. Ongoing research supports positive clinical outcomes showing EMDR therapy as a helpful treatment for disorders such as anxiety, depression, OCD, chronic pain, addictions, and other distressing life experiences.” - https://www.emdria.org/about-emdr-therapy/recent-research-about-emdr/