Emdr therapy is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on reprocessing traumatic memories. This process is achieved by asking the client to recall and visualize traumatic events while focusing on current positive emotions and bodily sensations.
Theoretically, this therapeutic approach can be effective because it utilizes a combination of senses, which helps with re-processing the memory so the event doesn’t dominate the client’s present reality. This type of therapy can be especially helpful when it comes to working through memories that are affecting everyday life but are difficult to recall and put into words. Emdr works particularly well in helping clients reprocess memories related to traumatic events, but it also can help clients reprocess memories related to other types of negative emotions.
How Does Emdr Therapy Work?
Emdr therapy is a lot like talk therapy that most people are familiar with, but there are some differences that make this type of therapy more effective for some people. In Emdr therapy, the client focuses on a traumatic event while having an even, calm conversation with the clinician about the memory.
In contrast to just talking about a traumatic memory, during Emdr therapy, the client is asked to focus on positive thoughts and feelings when discussing a negative memory. This can be done by thinking of a positive memory related to the traumatic event, such as a wedding day or having dinner with friends. By focusing on positive emotions and memories, even those that seem unrelated to the trauma, the client can reprocess the emotions of fear and anxiety associated with the original memory and replace them with more positive emotions.
An Emdr client will discuss the traumatic memory with a clinician and focus on remembering specific details about what happened in the past. This is helpful because it helps to bring the memory to the forefront of the client’s mind and can increase emotional intensity around the memory. After focusing on the emotions associated with a traumatic event, the client will focus on positive emotions, such as warmth, trust or safety. While bringing up these positive thoughts and feelings around a traumatic event, that is how Emdr work.
Emdr institute is a group of experts in Emdr therapy and other types of therapies who have a passion for helping people live happier lives. The institute is made up of professionals from all walks of life who provide a range of services for people in need. Emdr appears to be effective for people of all ages.The first Emdr study was done with adults, but there is evidence that it may be an effective therapy for children as well. One of the reasons this type of therapy is so effective is that it can be done through several different senses, which is particularly helpful for people who feel like talking about traumatic memories is difficult.
Emdr therapy sessions consist of;
During this Emdr session, clients focus on describing their thoughts and feelings while re-visiting the traumatic event and/or images related to it. The therapist will guide the client through the memory, but not actually ask them to talk about all of the components yet – this is left for a later session.
The goal of reprocessing is to reduce the distress and re-experiencing that may be linked with traumatic memories. After three or four sessions, the client should be familiar with how they process their memories and can then take control of the sessions. The therapist is not there to tell them what to say or what to do – this is entirely up to the individual.
After reprocessing the traumatic memory, EMDR therapists may ask clients to focus on positive cognitions related to the traumatic memory. These positive cognitions might include statements. Emdr sessions are often structured with the goal of achieving full processing of the memory in eight-phase treatment.
1) History Taking/Setting The Stage
2) Assessment
3) Desensitization/Discharge
4) Installation – Focusing on positive thoughts and beliefs about the trauma.
5) Body Scan
6) Closure – Planning for next session.
7) Home Practice – The client is instructed to practice what they learned in session at home between sessions and to document their processing of the memories between sessions.
8) Re-assessment – The client is asked what has changed since the last session.
Through this process, clients learn how their brain manages traumatic memories by gaining an understanding of how it processes events and transforms them into autobiographical memory files. This helps with making meaning of adverse experiences and can decrease feelings. Emdr practice in therapy is unique in its approach but also shares some similarities with other well-known therapies. For example, it’s been compared to exposure therapy because they both use cognitive processing and restructuring after recalling traumatic memories. These techniques can help reveal what the client has learned from their trauma so that these new lessons can be integrated into everyday life.
Desensitization and reprocessing Emdr therapy
Desensitization is the process of associating previously un-associated memories with positive emotions. This new association will gradually replace the old memory of fear and terror with one of safety and comfort. Reprocessing involves taking apart a negative memory into its component parts or aspects, then experiencing each aspect in different ways until they are no longer psychologically painful (i.e., until they produce less emotional distress).
Emdr therapy first involves recollection of the patient’s traumatic event(s), followed by having the client focus on present experiences while recalling these memories. The therapist will guide the patient to stay focused on their present environment, bodily sensations, and most importantly, safe feelings
What Emdr therapist do
Emdr therapists are medical professionals who provide mental health services. This can be in the form of individual, couples or family therapy sessions; it also includes management and administration of psychiatric medication. emdr therapists work under supervision from senior professionals (e.g., psychiatrists) to ensure that they are practicing within their competency levels
Emdr treatment
Trauma treatment is conducted as a series of customized sessions that target the psychological and physiological effects of traumatic experiences. Therapy consists of eight phases: history taking; assessment; psychoeducation; desensitization/discharge; installation; body scan, closure, home practice, re-assessment. The treatment process for Emdr treatment consists of the following six stages.
Treatment planning is the key to making the process a success and therapists come with a treatment plan for each client. The plan will be customized, taking into account the traumas experienced by the patient as well as their current symptoms and general mental health status. It is through this process that clients learn how to reprocess negative thoughts about themselves into positive ones that better reflect reality and increase feelings of self-worth.
Post-traumatic stress disorder
Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is an anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress to trauma-related cues, attempts to avoid trauma-related cues; inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma; diminished interest or participation in significant activities; persistent (and often exaggerated) negative expectations about one’s self or the world.
Posttraumatic stress disorder comes from distressing events that one experiences and happens when the distressing memories come up. Traumatic stress studies have shown that people who have experienced a traumatic event and developed PTSD afterward may require further treatment. Treatment methods: 1) Exposure therapy; 2) Cognitive therapy; 3) Eye movement desensitization and reprocessing (EMDR); 4) Stress inoculation training (SIT); 5) Narrative exposure therapy (NET).
Acute stress disorder (ASD)
Acute stress disorder is an anxiety disorder that develops after exposure to a terrifying event or ordeal in which grave physical harm occurred or was threatened. Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress to trauma-related cues, attempts to avoid trauma-related cues; inability to recall an important aspect of the trauma; diminished interest or participation in significant activities; persistent (and often exaggerated) negative expectations about one’s self or the world.
PTSD symptoms
They may occur following a physically or emotionally traumatic event. Symptoms usually begin within three months of the trauma, but occasionally emerge years later. Within one month of the trauma, some people experience transient stress disorder (TST), which is characterized by brief re-experiencing of symptoms similar to those exhibited immediately after the traumatic event.
Veterans health administration that deals with veterans affairs provided data that veterans are most likely to have psychological trauma after their deployment due to disturbing memories they encounter. In the American psychiatric association in 2013 in their handbook of mental health and wellbeing, they wrote that there is an increased number of patients who are affected by the traumatic events experienced in life. Veterans are most likely to resort to substance abuse. The trauma results in anguish and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) which occurs after one has gone through an experience that causes them to feel intense fear, confusion, or helplessness. Previously disturbing events can also affect the basic physical sensations that the affected individual has after undergoing some experience. Psychologists also recommend cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to help patients recover from problems resulting from PTSD or one’s traumatic events.
Studies involved people who were diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), panic disorder, and depression. It is evident that people who have experienced past traumas and who were diagnosed with PTSD experience negative thoughts such as the belief that they are not in control of their life and future, feeling guilty about what has happened in their lives, or believing that they will never be able to get over the past. Negative thinking is one type of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT).
