What is EMDR therapy?
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) therapy has extensive research supporting its effectiveness in treating post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), anxiety, depression and panic disorders. EMDR is a helpful psychotherapy modality that is proven to help people reprocess trauma and other distressing life events.
What can EMDR help me with?
Anxiety, panic attacks, and phobia
Chronic Illness and medical issues
Depression and bipolar disorders
Eating Disorders
Grief and loss
Pain
Psychosis
PTSD/CPTSD
Sexual assault
Sleep disturbance
Substance abuse and addiction
Violence and abuse
What Organizations Promote EMDR therapy?
American Psychiatric Association
American Psychological Association
International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies
National Alliance on Mental Illness
Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration
U.K. National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs/Department of Defense
The Cochran Database of Systematic Reviews
The World Health Organization
How does EMDR work to help with healing trauma?
Our brains have a unique way of recovering from traumatic experiences. Most of the time, we can resolve these events spontaneously but on occasion, they can get stuck and may need some support to process. This is where EMDR comes in handy. Eye movements, similar to those in Rapid Eye Movement (REM) sleep or other bilateral stimulation (audio or tactile) are used to help the brain integrate the memory into other adaptive information networks.
Unresolved or untreated trauma lives in the body and memories of the event will take the person back to the time of the disturbing event. With EMDR your brain changes its relationship with the traumatic event, putting the event in the past instead of remembering it like it is happening again. Reminders of that event will no longer bother you as you move forward with healing. You will no longer be controlled by the past.
What makes EMDR therapy different than other trauma therapy?
EMDR does not require talking in detail about the distressing events. The use of bilateral stimulation also helps to decrease the intensity of the event while it is reprocessed. There is no homework in EMDR therapy. EMDR supports your own brain to heal, so the therapist stays out of the way while your brain resumes its natural healing process. Depending on the complexity of the client's situation, EMDR can take fewer sessions than other psychotherapies. EMDR can be conducted in person and online with a properly trained and licensed mental health clinician.
If you are looking for EMDR therapy in North Bay, Ontario, or virtually, contact us at 705-980-0777 or email us at info@healingconnectionstherapy.ca
References
EMDR International Assoication. EMDR therapy for adults. Pamphlet in therapist resources.
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