EMDR Therapy

Picture this: You're meeting with your therapist to work through some tough stuff from the past. But instead of just talking it out, you're following a little ball back and forth across your computer screen.

It sounds strange, but those gentle eye movements are actually helping your brain process and file away those tough memories in a healthier way. It's like kickstarting your brain's own adaptive filing system, sorting out the mess and making room for some much-needed peace of mind.

The eye movements engage both hemispheres of the brain, while your therapist guides you through focusing on distressing memories or experiences. This stimulation helps the brain process and integrate these memories, reducing their emotional intensity and the associated distress, ultimately leading to symptom relief and psychological healing.

If you're ready to break free from the grip of past traumas, debilitating anxiety, or persistent negative emotions, you're in the right place. While we can't erase your memory of the trauma, EMDR can alleviate distressing symptoms, integrate traumatic memories, transform negative beliefs, and help you to regulate emotions.

Here are some things you can expect from EMDR sessions:

1. Preparation: Your therapist will explain the EMDR process and ensure you understand what to expect. You'll discuss your treatment goals and identify specific memories or experiences to target.
2. Assessment: You'll work with your therapist to identify the most distressing memories or experiences that you want to process during the session.
3. Bilateral Stimulation: You'll engage in bilateral stimulation, which could involve following your therapist's finger as it moves back and forth, or alternating taps on your arms.
4. Focused Attention: While engaging in bilateral stimulation, you'll focus on the distressing memory or experience identified earlier. Your therapist may guide you through this process with prompts or questions.
5. Processing: As you focus on the memory or experience, your brain will begin to reprocess it, integrating it into your larger narrative in a more adaptive way. This can lead to a decrease in the emotional intensity associated with the memory.
6. Closure: At the end of the session, your therapist will help you return to a state of calmness and ensure you feel grounded before concluding the session.
7. Reflection: After the session, you may spend some time reflecting on your experience and discussing any insights or emotions that arose during the session.

Click here to learn more about Trauma Therapy at Everworth.