Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)

How does moving your eyes back and forth help process trauma?

Let’s say you have two brains: an emotional brain and a logical brain. When a trigger becomes activated, it causes a person to feel all the emotions very intensely. Some common emotions are fear, anxiety, anger, and confusion.

When your emotions become activated, the emotional brain takes over. This leads to three reactions: fight, flight, or freeze. Although the logical brain knows “we aren’t in danger,” the emotional brain says otherwise.

Eye movements or bilateral stimulation (back and forth movement) help the two brains communicate. Think of it as couples counseling for the two hemispheres of your brain. Once the two brains can communicate more effectively, it’s easier to feel more balanced.

Communication allows anxiety to become more manageable.

Then, we can focus on good memories and use bilateral stimulation to recreate those positive emotions.

While working with clients struggling with trauma, I have them focus on a calm and safe place, like the beach, and recreate the details in their minds. When this happens, their shoulders become more relaxed, they display deeper breathing, and some people reach such levels of relaxation that they get sleepy.

Then, we move on to other positive memories, like when you felt accomplished or confident. We also visualize people or things that support positive emotions. Numerous clients say, “Thanks for your help; I am all good now.”

Not so fast. This is just preparation for the tough stuff.

Preparing for desensitization and reprocessing.

Desensitization is the process that makes triggers less triggering. This is the most challenging part of EMDR, which requires repeated exposure to the traumatic memories.

Establishing a solid foundation that provides safety, security, and positivity will allow a client to know they can manage it. With repeated exposure, the intensity of the emotions becomes less intense and stays manageable.

Reprocessing is where the true healing begins. The negative beliefs that stem from trauma are less believable. Clients start to believe it was not their fault or they did the best they could. The blame shifts away from the client.

The client’s self-esteem and self-worth become healthy, thus creating a better balance between a client meeting their needs and the needs of others. Boundaries are much easier to maintain.

Is EMDR only for trauma?

No! Although initially developed to treat symptoms of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, I’ve used EMDR to treat a variety of problems, including depression, unresolved grief, physical pain, and specific phobias like getting blood drawn or driving.

There have been many instances when clients do not know why they feel the way they do. The origin becomes more apparent when we focus on the feeling with bilateral stimulation.

I’ve also used it to help clients prepare for performances, speeches, or important meetings.

If regular talk therapy does not provide relief from the problems that keep you from moving on and having the life you deserve, EMDR may provide the solution. Contact me today for more information on how EMDR can help.