Written By: Marissa Halstead
EMDR therapy is a counseling modality that many people have heard of, but many do not know exactly what it is. Books such as The Body Keeps the Score by Dr. Bessel van der Kolk helped EMDR therapy become more mainstream in the world of therapy. In this blog, I will give a broad overview of what EMDR therapy entails so that if you are interested, you have more information to work with.
What is it?
EMDR therapy stands for Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing, which can sound intimidating. EMDR therapy is a protocol that was developed in 1987 by Francine Shaprio. EMDR therapy helps individuals heal from distressing events and/or unresolved traumatic memories. A key feature of EMDR therapy is that it uses bilateral stimulation, meaning it incorporates actions that stimulate both the left and right sides of the brain. The actions can be tapping your hands on your right then left leg, moving your eyes from one side to the other, buzzing your left than right hand with a device, sounds alternating in each ear, etc. While the actions are happening, clients process the distressing memories. EMDR therapy has eight phases which include: History-taking and Treatment Planning, Preparation, Assessment, Desensitization, Installation, Body Scan, Closure, and Reevaluation.
What does it do?
The overall goal of EMDR therapy is to eliminate the intensity of suffering from distressing memories or traumatic events. It helps individuals to soothe themselves and maintain a more accurate and positive sense of self. Through EMDR processing, clients often learn what is needed to move forward in a positive way. Lastly, the memory gets stored in a more adaptive, less distressing way which causes symptoms (like anxiety) to lessen.
It is also important to note what EMDR therapy does NOT do. EMDR therapy will not change the past, erase memories, cure psychopathology, or heal brain damage. I have had several clients in the past seeking EMDR therapy to erase their pain, which is something this therapy does not do. (In fact, no therapy can do this!) While EMDR does not erase pain, it does change it to be much less intense.
EMDR therapy has been proven to be effective in treating Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Anxiety, Depression, Panic Attacks, Emotional/Physical/Sexual Abuse, Phobias, Grief and Loss, and Addictive Behaviors just to give some examples.
Interested?
If you have gotten this far and are interested in potentially trying EMDR therapy with a trained therapist, I encourage you to do your own research too! Many Envision clients have found EMDR therapy to be very helpful. Here at Envision, we have two therapists who are trained and practice EMDR therapy. One is Timi Schuessler, LPC and myself, Marissa Halstead, LPC. If you feel stuck in your healing journey or if your symptoms are becoming too overwhelming to manage, EMDR therapy might be the right option for you.
