A Look at EMDR: Is It Appropriate for Your Needs?
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy is a powerful tool designed to help individuals reprocess and heal from traumatic memories. This eight-phase process, developed by Francine Shapiro in 1987, offers a structured approach to mental health healing.
Phase 1: History Taking and Treatment Planning
The first phase, History Taking and Treatment Planning, involves the therapist gathering detailed information about the client's history, exploring traumatic events, current challenges, and identifying target memories to focus on in therapy.
Phase 2: Preparation
In the second phase, Preparation, the therapist works with the client to establish trust and teach relaxation techniques such as deep breathing, visualization, or grounding skills. These techniques are essential for managing distress during and between sessions.
Phase 3: Assessment
During the third phase, Assessment, the therapist helps the client identify specific memories or experiences to target during EMDR therapy. They work together to define the image, negative beliefs about oneself, bodily sensations, emotions linked to the memory, and a positive belief to install later.
Phase 4: Desensitization
The core phase, Desensitization, is where the client focuses on the target memory while engaging in bilateral stimulation. This could involve following the therapist’s moving hand with their eyes, or receiving tactile or auditory stimulation. The aim is to reduce the emotional charge of the memory until it feels less distressing.
Phase 5: Installation
In the fifth phase, Installation, the positive belief chosen earlier is strengthened using bilateral stimulation until it feels true and fully integrated emotionally.
Phase 6: Body Scan
The sixth phase, Body Scan, involves guiding the client to notice any residual physical tension connected to the memory and processing it further if needed, addressing trauma stored in the body.
Phase 7: Closure
Each session ends with the seventh phase, Closure, where the therapist ensures the client feels calm and stable. Resources and coping strategies are used to maintain emotional balance between sessions.
Phase 8: Reevaluation
In the eighth phase, Reevaluation, the therapist and client revisit the target memory to assess the progress. Decisions are made whether to continue with that memory or target a new one.
EMDR can be used for a variety of conditions, including anxiety, phobias, and performance enhancement. It's an evidence-based, well-researched therapy that is often paid for by insurance.
Sessions typically last one hour and are scheduled weekly. If you're interested in learning more about EMDR therapy, our website offers a comprehensive approach to mental health services and has the resources and staff to provide help.
It's essential to note that some misconceptions about EMDR include the fear of getting stuck in a trauma memory, the belief that one needs a concrete moment to pull from, and the assumption that it is only useful for PTSD or specific trauma memories. However, EMDR sessions are guided by a therapist who controls the pace and intensity of bilateral stimulation, ensuring a safe and effective therapeutic journey tailored to the client's needs.
Moreover, the brain stores traumatic memories differently, and EMDR can help people process these memories in a different way, promoting healing and adaptive beliefs.
Science plays a crucial role in mental health, as evident in the development and effectiveness of therapies like EMDR. By incorporating health-and-wellness practices such as relaxation techniques and mindfulness, EMDR treatments also cater to the holistic well-being of individuals, addressing not just mental health but also promoting overall wellness. This underscores the importance of therapies-and-treatments in the healing process, particularly when addressing complex issues such as mental health and trauma.
