Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing

EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), like many therapy approaches, focuses on the individual’s present concerns. The EMDR approach believes past emotionally-charged experiences are overly influencing your present emotions, sensations, and thoughts about yourself.

EMDR uses rapid sets of eye movements to help you update disturbing experiences, much like what
occurs when we sleep. During sleep, we alternate between regular sleep and REM (rapid eye movement). This sleep pattern helps you process things that are troubling you.

EMDR uses a set of procedures to organize your negative and positive feelings, emotions, and thoughts, and then uses bilateral stimulation, such as eye movements or alternating tapping, as the way to help you effectively work through those memories.

Which conditions can EMDR therapy treat?

Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) is a highly effective therapy for treating a wide range of issues, including: anxiety, depression, panic attacks, PTSD, phobias, eating disorders, anger, addiction and grief.

How effective is EMDR therapy?

Recounting stressful or traumatic events is often easier to deal with emotionally when your attention is diverted elsewhere. According to Healthline, this type of therapy “allows you to be exposed to the memories or thoughts without experiencing a strong psychological response.”

The bilateral stimulation (BLS) used in EMDR provides you with something to focus on as you access painful memories and unwanted thoughts. This reduces the intensity of your memory, allowing you to process it without experiencing an overwhelming psychological response.

EMDR therapy at For Health’s Sake can help you cope with painful or traumatic memories over time.

To find out if this type of treatment is right for you, contact our clinic to set up an initial consultation.

Reference:

https://www.healthline.com/health/emdr-therapy#benefits
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5623122/