EMDR Therapy Can Help You Recover from Trauma

Perhaps you’ve gone to therapy. You understand your issues and are motivated to work on them. Yet, you haven’t truly found relief from anxiety, depression, or inexplicable mood changes. You haven’t been able to actually make the changes that you know are necessary. You still have intrusive thoughts or memories that make it difficult to abandon the unhealthy behaviors you’ve had for far too long. Maybe you still hold negative beliefs about yourself despite knowing they can’t be true. Or you’re repeatedly pulled into problematic relationship patterns.

When it comes to trauma, sometimes talk therapy and the best coping skills aren’t enough. They may let you function on a daily basis, but you want to thrive, to feel happier. If you relate to any of this, you aren’t alone. Millions of Americans are impacted by trauma. And contrary to common belief, trauma doesn’t just include one major, violent event. Ongoing experiences such as challenges during your childhood, neglect or emotional trauma, can have an equally profound impact.

Fortunately, trauma doesn’t mean you have to feel stuck forever. With time and treatment, you can move on. You can relieve your symptoms, rid bad habits, and let go of unwanted thoughts and memories.

What is EMDR?

EMDR is an abbreviation for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, a type of psychotherapy used to reduce the emotional and physical distress associated with trauma.

EMDR is based on the notion that traumatic memories have current implications, which means that, when triggered, trauma-related sensations happen in real time. EMDR therapy works so that you no longer re-experience the trauma by altering how trauma memories are stored. In other words, EMDR therapy makes it possible for traumatic memories to be processed and lose their grasp on your life, ultimately restoring conscious control over your mind and body.

Although the exact mechanisms behind EMDR aren’t fully understood, it has been extensively researched and consistently proved useful for treating trauma symptoms. In some studies, over eighty percent of patients with PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) have displayed noteworthy symptom reductions following EMDR therapy. Additionally, EMDR therapy has proven effective for other mental health concerns such as grief, depression, addictions, and eating disorders especially when those issues are connected to adverse life experiences.

What to Expect with EMDR Therapy

The first EMDR session resembles a traditional therapy intake appointment where you and your therapist will review your mental health history and establish goals. Your therapist will also gauge your readiness for therapy, then teach you self soothing strategies such as breathing exercises or visualization techniques to ensure you have the internal resources to process trauma without leaving your window of tolerance, or the mental and emotional zone where you can think clearly and avoid severe emotional discomfort.

During the next stage, your therapist will ask you to move your eyes from side to side while you recall a traumatic memory. These bilateral eye movements activate brain regions involved in fear and arousal without becoming overwhelming because EMDR therapy then lowers your psychological and physical stress response by helping your brain understand the trauma was a past occurrence that doesn’t pose a present threat. This phase continues until you see a significant reduction in symptoms, and you’re able to replace trauma-related negative beliefs with accurate, positive ones.

EMDR therapy is particularly advantageous because you don’t have to endure the mental toll that comes with constantly talking through your cognitive distortions or describing traumatic events in detail as the bilateral eye movements facilitate a more passive processing. Essentially, EMDR treatment is built on the belief that the brain naturally moves towards healing when given the opportunity. Therefore EMDR treatment minimizes discomfort by providing the means and encouraging your brain to tap into its natural curative capabilities.

In addition to being noninvasive, EMDR promotes accelerated healing. Relief is usually found after each appointment, and it’s common to see considerable improvements within weeks.

Finally, following successful EMDR therapy, your thoughts won’t revolve around the trauma, you’ll be able to remain mentally present, and your body will feel less burdened by fatigue, chronic pain, or other unpleasant physical sensations.

You Can Heal from Trauma

You might worry that seeking treatment will only release locked up emotions and keeping your feelings suppressed is safer. EMDR, however, not only allows you to work through difficult events without retraumatization but also helps you heal and move forward.

Trauma doesn’t have to stop you from living a fulfilling life or reaching your full potential. When you are ready to reclaim your life and take the next step, the EMDR-trained therapists at HavenMHC would truly appreciate the opportunity to be part of your recovery journey. We are committed to providing high quality care while placing the utmost important on maintaining confidentiality while helping you meet your goals. Please reach out for a free consultation if you’d like to learn more about EMDR therapy and how it can help you heal, grow and flourish so that you can live your life to its fullest potential.